Surfside

I have no idea why it took us so long to make it to Surfside. I read about it ages ago and it seemed like a place we'd like: casual, beach vibe, fresh seafood, and margaritas! I'm blaming some of our delay on the fact that it is way the eff in Glover Park and we never find ourselves there now that the Social Safeway is closed for a makeover. I have a feeling we'll be finding excuses to go to Glover Park from now on.

Surfside's beach casual vibe can make you forget winter all together. It is laid back and strangely reminiscent of a Wahoo's Fish Tacos (that reference probably was lost on most of our readership but it is the best analogy I have). You write your order on paper slips and hand it to the cashier. You are then given a buzzer that signals when your food is ready. There is a bar at the rear of the restaurant that serves beer, margaritas, and frozen drinks, and I hear they have a great roof deck for warm days.

B ordered the Negril fish tacos which featured huge chunks of grilled fish and all the usual suspects of any good fish taco.

I tried the Nevis shrimp tacos (two grilled shrimp tacos with yellow rice, pineapple jalapeno salsa, guacamole and lime sour cream - hold the cilantro por favor). Simply amazing. The lime sour cream combined with the pineapple salsa was to die for. They didn't skimp on the shrimp either. The only drawback was that the tortillas were so packed full of ingredients that they fell apart instantly. A knife and fork saved the day and I wasted no time polishing off the whole dish. It was that good.

If you like seafood tacos, get ye to Surfside now. Since Glover Park is in a Metro deadzone, it is great that they have free parking in the back lot. A minor quibble is that they charge $3.95 for chips and salsa, and they aren't heads and shoulders better than the free chips and salsa you get at most Mexican restaurants.

After all of the snow and darkness, Surfside was just the right cure for the winter doldrums. As we watched the final evening of the Winter Olympics on Surfside's TV, the snow and ice of Vancouver seemed like light years away.

Second Thoughts From B

Woah, dude, what a tubular joint we've found! When you're jonesing for some bodacious grub, catch a wave to Surfside, bra.

Nothing makes me channel my inner Spicoli like a good fish taco. I don't know what it is, but it seems synonymous with a laid back surf town vibe and cool ocean breeze. And just like some of my other culinary favorites, I usually can't resist ordering fish tacos when they are on the menu, especially when I'm so far away from the beach.

Now if the surfer-friendly environment at Surfside was its only redeeming quality, I might still seek it out for a little taste of home in the middle of our next winter blast. But what made our trip such a revelation was the food. Regular readers are used to us (or tired of us) writing wistfully of our favorite West Coast dishes and comparing them so favorably to their East Coast interpretations. How many times have we said that the Mexican food/sushi/Chinese food was good for DC but back in California...

As a demonstation that we're at least as "fair and balanced" as Fox News, I'm about to commit West Coast sacrilege. With all due respect to L.A., San Diego, and Hawaii, these were the best fish tacos I've ever had. There's no "but" coming, no qualifying statement. They were simply the best. Perfectly cooked, high-quality pieces of fish. Perfect proportion of cabbage and sauce. Just enough kick to make it interesting. I loved it.

So, there, I said it. And I wouldn't be surprised if I'll be disowned or not allowed back home again. But if that's the case, I've now got a little piece of home in Glover Park.

(And to all my friends back West shaking their heads and saying, "Oh yeah, I bet you've never been to..." Probably not, but I look forward to your attempts to prove me wrong.)

Sakana

I got a new breadmaker for Christmas (a post to come on that soon) and I went a little nuts with the baking. One night as B stared at my 15th loaf of bread, he just said "I need sushi." It was clear that we needed to get out of the kingdom 'o bread and enjoy the refreshing taste of sushi.

One of my favorite local bloggers, Karena at Run Beans Run, had recently eaten at Sakana in Dupont Circle. When B's sushi craving struck, I remembered her post and off we went.

Sakana is just what we like in a sushi place: no frills, no conveyor belts, and a wide assortment of nigiri and rolls using fish that screams "fresh!" instead of "last week!"

I'm willing to bet that every person reading this post has been to a place like Sakana, so I'm not going to go into great detail about the experience. We sat, we ordered using a pencil on a long strip of paper, we ate yummy rolls and nigiri, and we left happy.

One thing that is worth mentioning about Sakana is that you can add miso soup, salad, and ice cream to your meal for $6. It was fun to cap off the sushi feast with ginger (J) and green tea (B) ice cream.

I highly recommend the salmon nigiri. I'm not a huge salmon person but this was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. We ordered one "special" roll and while it was a lot bigger than the others, it was also $12. This was a little bit of a surprise since the rest of the roll prices were very reasonable and there was no price listed for the special. Next time, I'd stick to the normal-sized rolls because I'm not a fan of the awkward "I can't fit this in my mouth but I also can't really bite it in half" scenario that ensues when you try to eat a ginormo-roll. Just a heads up if you decide to dine here on a first date.


Second Thoughts From B

We've written about our love of sushi and our quest to find our go-to place which ended at Kotobuki (see post here). The only problem is that every time I suggest we go there, I get the obligatory, "it's all the way out in the Palisades" comment. Sometimes that's a deal breaker, sometimes not. On this night it was the former, and I'm kind of glad that it was.

I'm not saying that I have a new favorite, but I am saying that we've found a place that I'm looking forward to walking to. It really is cookie cutter inside, but the rice is fluffy and moist while the fish is fresh and plump (my deal breakers). And despite the $12 special roll - which to be fair was at least twice the size of a normal roll - it was reasonably priced, especially for Dupont.

Terra Cotta Warriors at the National Geographic Museum

In 1998 I was lucky enough to travel throughout China with my family. As avid readers know by now, my mother is Chinese and her parents made it a point of rounding up all the kids and grandkids to show them the "old country." That was the first time I saw the Terra Cotta Warriors. It took 12 years before I saw them again.

Growing up as bi-racial or "hapa" (a Hawaiian word that literally means half, and usually refers to Asian and Caucasian mixed kids), I've always been aware of my unique heritage. In some ways, it has been a source of strength in that I've been able to pick the best of both backgrounds. On the other hand, it was sometimes difficult to fit in, since I wasn't white enough for some groups or Asian/minority enough for others.

But like so many other childhood circumstances, being hapa was all I knew, and I didn't realize until I was older how unique and special it was. For example, did you know that it wasn't until 1967 that interracial couples could marry in Virginia (that's only 6 years before my parents married)? It's true, look it up (Loving vs. Virginia). Worse still, just last year a Louisiana justice of the peace refused to marry an interracial couple stating, "I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way." It certainly is an interesting counterpoint to a country with a biracial President and many other public figures of mixed heritage... but I'm getting off topic.

The point of all this is that as a newly married couple, J and I have tried to take an active role in blending both of our backgrounds, racial and otherwise. By embracing our heritage, we learn about who we all are and possibly, who we are going to be.

With that in mind, we made a point of checking out the National Geographic Museum's exhibit on the Terra Cotta Warriors. For a little background, the warriors were created by China's first emperor over 2000 years ago as part of his burial complex, but it was only discovered in the late-1970's. This exhibit is on loan from China, and has been traveling the States for the last couple of years. It is a tough ticket to get, but if you're willing to go during the daytime, you'll have a shot of seeing it before it leaves DC at the end of March.

The exhibit is small but extremely well done. 1 hour is recommended, but slow reading aside, I could have spent a lot more time there. We opted for the audio tour, but the text at the exhibit is just as thorough.

Time is spent winding through various artifacts that help tell the story of the life and death of Qin Shihuangdi before you get to the warriors themselves. As a product of American public schools, we seem to be experts on European culture and events, but often don't get to learn about Eastern history. This made both the historical and warrior sections of the exhibit very worthwhile.

Having seen the real thing on the outskirts of Xi'an, I'd recommend that you spend the $12 and go to NatGeo before trekking to the other side of the world just yet. Other than the sheer size and magnificence of the actual site, I found the more intimate setting far more engaging. There, you're under a massive tent (think of one of those huge wedding tents, only if it covered several football fields), and look down into a partially dug out pit of mostly broken warriors. The scope is tremendous but I felt very removed from it all. Instead, being able to walk completely around some of the best preserved warriors, look in their eyes, and study particular aspects of their artistry, allowed me to appreciate the details.

The other thing I liked was the more modern, and probably more Western approach that was taken in educating visitors. Other than the sometimes Beijing-worthy crowds, I can't say enough good things about it all.

So in the end, I was able to learn a little bit more about China's history and about my own history. What's more, being able to share that with J and reconnect with those fond memories of my grandparents, was invaluable.

J Says

One of my favorite photos from B's China trip is a shot of his grandparents posing with the terra cotta warriors (and imitating their stoic faces) in the gift shop in Xi'an. That picture sparked my interest in the warriors. We even have small two terra cotta warrior replicas in our bedroom. I was thrilled to get to see them up close in DC.

As I struggled through the crowds in the first room, I began to wonder if these old clay dudes were worth the trouble. Luckily, the crowds thinned out and I let the audio tour sweep me away to China, and into the life story of this wacky emperor. Like B said, it was neat to get to see them up close where you could really see the intricate details and craftsmanship. If you don't have the time or money to go to China, hurry up and get on over to 17th Street before the warriors waddle on to their next destination.

Masa 14

We finally made it out to try DC's newest restaurant hotspot: Masa 14. Chefs Richard Sandoval (Zengo) and Kaz Okochi (Kaz Sushi Bistro) decided that DC needed another small plates restaurant and opened up this hip Latin-Asian eatery on the trendy 14th street corridor. The interior is industrial chic with a 65 foot bar (one of the longest in DC). Though I hear it is very crowded (and very loud) in the evenings, we sampled Masa 14 during brunch, and it featured a much more laid back vibe.

After starting the morning off with a Masa Mimosa (champagne + mango +blood orange = yum!) our waiter recommended that we order 2-3 small plates per person. We started with the pan dulce (french toast with ancho whipped cream and roasted pineapple syrup). It had an interesting set of flavors, but was a bit citrus-heavy for my taste. Probably perfect for those who don't like their french toast to be cloyingly sweet.

The highlight of our brunch was the serrano ham flatbread with goat cheese, cantaloupe, arugula, truffle, and lime. I could've eaten a whole pizza worth of this awesome flavor combination. The cool melon mixed with the salty ham and creamy goat cheese was close to perfection.

Next were the chilaquiles - a mexican egg/tortilla dish that I'm normally a big fan of. I thought Masa's version fell flat in the flavor department. It wasn't that the flavor was bad, but it was so one dimensional that the dish just felt like green mush after a few bites. A dash of hot sauce could've taken it to a different level.

Capping off the Latin-Asian brunch tour was the yucca brisket hash (smoked brisket, carmelized onions, poblano chiles, poached egg, and chipotle hollandaise). It was tasty, but not particularly memorable.

Since we brunched with a group of neighbors, we got to see lots of the dishes on the menu and sampled some of the tasty yucca fries and wok-fried home fries. I also thought the service was attentive for having a large group, but as the restaurant began to fill up, the dishes arrived in a more and more sporadic manner (sometimes with long gaps in between).

Overall, we had a very nice brunch at Masa 14. I wasn't blown away, but there were enough high points that revealed the restaurant's promise. Once some of the hype dies down, I'd like to check out their dinner offerings. I think the menu offers an interesting blend of Latin and Asian flavors (a la Zengo - see post here) that helps it stand out somewhat from the small plates restaurants that seem to be a dime a dozen in DC.

Second Thoughts From B

J, as usual, did a nice job of hitting the highs (flatbread) and lows (pan dulce), as well as the overall feel of Masa 14. I would add that the flatbread was topped with arugula, which combined with tart lime juice, was very reminiscent of 2 Amy's mixed greens salad (see post here). This is a very good thing, especially when paired with the other flavor profiles that J described above.

And to be clear, the pan dulce was by no means a failed dish. Several others at our table seemed to enjoy it, but for my palate, it missed the mark. Some people love fruit flavored liqueurs, and for those people, this might be a great dish. I'm just not a huge fan of the slightly sweet yet somewhat bitter taste. No, this is not alcoholic french toast, but this is the only way I can describe the orange-tasting whipped cream.

We've had multiple, very good experiences with both Zengo and Kaz Sushi Bistro... the parent restaurants of Masa 14, if you will. Unfortunately, their lovechild has yet to distinguish himself (at least in my mind) from any other the other new, chic, fusion, small plates eateries in downtown. This is a great thing for DC residents; so many worthwhile options. However, I think this theme is somewhat played out and wish a few other niches could be filled before we see more of the same.

To put it another way, as proud parents, I wouldn't begrudge Richard and Kaz from slapping a "My child is an honors student at..." bumpersticker on their car. On the other hand, I wouldn't fault anyone who responded, "Who cares? So is mine."