Basil Thyme!

Bonjourno, our food truck expedition takes us on a tour of Italian cuisine. Basil Thyme, headed by Brian Farrell and Malik Umar has become recognized both locally and nationally as one of the best food trucks. The truck serves a variety of different lasagnas and cannolis to local residents looking to quench their appetites or carb up for the afternoon sit-down marathon in their cubicle.

Basil Thymes fame have made it a must try in the city and there are no signs of slowing. Its current popularity has boosted it to 2^nd best food truck in City Papers “Best of” issue and 4 ½ stars on Yelp. Despite all of these accolades I somehow never tried this truck until this past year. Overlooking this truck wasn’t because of a lack of cognizance or interest but just something that slipped the cracks.

(Image via I heart food DC) 

My first visit came around March when I took to the streets of Foggy Bottom while running some errands. I spotted the truck and decided to finally give it a try. I will be forthright in saying that I am not the biggest fan of Italian cuisine. I think lasagna, pasta, and pizza are all great foods but I cannot for the life of me think of an instance where I have craved any of these dishes. Regardless of my attitude I calmly waited in line browsing the selection of lasagnas. I decided on ordering the Lisetta which consists of slow roasted pork in a vodka sauce.  I took it back to the office and enjoyed my meal. The portion size was perfect for me and the side salad balanced out the dish leaving me quenched.

While I did not salivate like Garfield at the thought of trying the truck again I always kept the option open should there be another opportunity. This chance presented itself a couple of weeks ago when the truck visited M St. Still recovering from the removal of my wisdom teeth I thought Lasagna would a good option. To my chagrin the line was the longest of the three other food trucks in the area. I remember the afternoon vividly as it was one of the first days of excruciating humidity known as a DC summer. As I watched people in line melting away I began to second guess my decision of eating warm lasagna on a brutal day. I stuck to my guns and waited in line because in reality the heat did not bother me at all.

(Linda Lasagna)  

Once my turn came I was glistening like a chicken in the oven and seriously considered walking to an ice cream store to order a banana split. I scratched that thought and decided to order the Linda which is their most popular dish. It is a traditional lasagna that consists of seasoned beef with tomato sauce. I also ordered the cannoli of the day which in this case was chocolate chip. 

I took my food and found shelter underneath a tree with my friend. While she giggled with amusement from my infant like approach to eating food I was savoring the flavors of a well composed dish. The lasagna was a hit but I was sad that I could not fully enjoy every bite without a throbbing pain in my mouth. After finishing off the platter I could not find any room for the cannoli so I took it back to the office to have as an afternoon snack.  

(Chocolate Chip Cannoli) 

About an hour after my lunch I found the need to snack on the aforementioned Italian treat. The cannoli was refreshing and well flavored. After finishing it I could only wish that I had another to split with a friend. My meal was a combo which came with a soda and run me $12 which is fairly reasonable in DC or any major city these days. 

All in all Basil Thyme does right in my book. While I am a huge fan of this particular cuisine I can easily see myself getting food from this truck if they were in my neighborhood. Now that I have moved to the other coast our expedition embarks on the LA food truck scene which most consider the birth of mobile cuisine. Until next time, arrivederci!

The Greek Spot

When you hear the or see the word Greece your initial thought at least recently has been their debt crisis as well as the perilous times facing the European Union. This unfortunate circumstance has taken away from our previous perception of Greece including their wonderful history in fine art, literature and food. The latter of these characteristics is the purpose of this post and takes us to one of the best dining spots for Greek food in the city.

The Greek Spot is small shop as its name indicates located right off of U St. Being a big fan of Greek food since my childhood I found it almost offensive that it took me until last year to visit this establishment. A close friend during my childhood was Greek so I would remember going over and having Tyropitakia, Horiatiki Salata and Baklava to name a few. For those whose knowledge of Greek cuisine is limited to Gyros use the power of Google to look up these dishes to enhance your knowledge and culinary palate.

Although rather small and visually unappealing The Greek Spot offers some of best and most authentic Greek food I have had to date. Before my personal discovery I was limited to a small number of shops to get Greek food, which was limited mostly to a salad or Gyro. But the menu here far surpasses what I have seen in this city and my personal knowledge of Greek cuisine.

My litmus test for any Greek restaurant is their Gyro. Now I know I just lambasted people who didn’t know anything beyond this dish but that speaks volumes to its popularity. Although its origin lies in Turkey (bet you didn’t know that) gyros are most commonly associated as traditional dish of Greece, at least from an American perspective. During my visit I decided to get a Gyro which I ordered with tzatziki sauce, an option that I recommend you do as well. I took it out to their small outdoor dining section with my friend and basked in a typical summer afternoon on U St.

(Gyro)

Once seated we began to devour our meals as ruthlessly as the Achaeans during the Trojan War. The lamb was oozing with flavor and permeated with an array of spices that blended perfectly. The feta, onions, lettuce and tzatziki added their own dimensions to create the best gyro I have ever tried. Their platter included their own seasoned fries which were also very tasty. I accompanied my meal with a bottled Fanta and a small Baklava. After our meal was finished we both basked in the sun and lightly reminisced the culinary experience that had just passed.

Delighted by my experience I have continued to visit; from the occasional drunk munchies run to the Saturday afternoon post run The Greek Spot never disappoints. Another dish I like is the Chicken Souvlaki which consists of small portions of grilled chicken, feta, tomatoes and cucumbers. The chicken itself is marinated in an array of spices grilled on a skewer. You can also choose pork if that is your preference.

(Chicken Souvlaki)

The Souvlaki was good, the chicken was moist and the marinated well. The vegetables that accompanied it went well and made for a fair dish. If I to make a choice I would prefer a gyro or even a falafel but that is not taking away from the taste of the dish.

In conclusion The Greek Spot is a destination that needs your attention. The food is fantastic, the service is quick and the prices are beyond reasonable for joy that will ensue. I would recommend ordering take out or if you live in the area they also deliver. While going to Greece may be the only way to truly experience the elegance of their food visiting The Greek Spot is a much cheaper alternative.

Serbian Crown Restaurant

One day I was having a random discussion with my coworker about our past food experiences when the question of the most bizarre meal that we have ever had came up. I answered with what I believe to be the most unique meal I have had to date which was blowfish. The answer he gave immediately shocked when he told me and is the basis of this post. He told me that he had eaten Lion.

My first question was lion? Like Simba from the Lion King? he promptly replied, yes a Lion. I was in an utter state of shock and disbelief. My next question was where and when. He said that he went a couple years ago to a restaurant called Serbian Crown in Great Falls Virginia.

(Photo brought to you by Yelp)

I immediately began to research this establishment to see if they still served this meal. I was delighted to discover that they still serve lion and that it was not too far away. I informed a good friend of mine of this discovery and he greeted me the same enthusiasm I had. We set out on our journey to sample what has to be one of the rarest dishes on the planet.

The drive took us no more than 30 minutes to rural Virginia. The night was dark and soundless, at first we thought that our GPS failed us as it looked like we were in the middle of the forrest. The quaint and quite neighborhood permeated an Erie feeling within me.

(Oysters Moscow Style)

We walked through a mostly empty piano bar littered only with people above the age of 50. Our server then began to explain the origins and background of the restaurant. He indicated that it served traditional Russian cuisine with a hint of French culinary methods. We quickly scanned the menu even though we knew precisely what we wanted.

We fist decided to order Oysters 'Moscow Style' which are raw oysters topped with sour cream and red caviar. We also ordered a couple of martinis the most notable being a spicy martini that had pepper vodka. Our oysters which cost $15 were both interesting and delightful. I was surprised mainly because I did not know how well seafood and dairy would mesh but it was surprisingly good.

(Scaloppini of Lion)

We were then greeted by the arrival of the main attraction. We both waited in heated anticipation of what was sure to be a culinary experience the likes of which most people have never experienced. To this point I have yet to fully describe the taste because it is so unique. The meat had the consistency of of steak but did not have a similar taste. The sauce that accompanied it was very tasty and complimented the savoriness of the meat.

I made sure to slowly enjoy each piece because this may be the only time I was going to have it. The dish turned out to be a great success and the experience will be forever embedded in mind.

Aside from Lion the Serbian Crown also offers a number of odd dining options including Emu, Wild Boar and Antelope. If unique animals don't float your boat they also offer a number of traditional Russian dishes, a small selection of exclusive caviar and some French dishes and desserts.

The food was delightful, the service was nice, the drinks were solid and the price tag was reasonable. Aside from the location, decor and the age group of the patrons all of which gave me the creeps this was one of the best dining experiences of my life.

But looking back I would rather have those impediments, the mystique behind their restaurant goes well with the unique dishes they have to offer. So if you want to eat a Lion with your friends give this place a shot, it is a seasonal dish (winter for the Lion) so you have to ask in advance if they have it.

Sacrificial Lamb Kabobs & Wraps

Every sunday night I browse through Campus Food to look for something quench my hunger for the last meal of the week. I usually stick to the same three or four places to satisfy my hunger. But every once an a while a new place appears on the site that arouses my suspicion.

This past week I stumbled on a local Indian eatery called Sacrificial Lamb Kabobs & Wraps. While I have to admit that I chose to eat here solely based on it's humorous title I have to say I was quite surprised by it's taste. I decided to try the lamb wrap (pictured below) with fries, my sister had a gyro with fries.

(Lamb Wrapped in Naan with Fries)

My assessment for the quality of this meal can be eloquently summed up in one word, scrumtrulescent. The softness of the flan along with the tenderness of the lamb all put together with an assortment of spices and sauces that produced the equivalent of an Punjabi atom bomb in my mouth. While that last statement may be a bit over the top I really did enjoy it and will get the opinion of some of my Indian friends in the near future.

I also tried the buttered chicken with chic peas (pictured below) which was also tremendously delicious. After both meals I left myself asking why I have yet to indulge myself more in Indian culture. I plan to eat here again and try something else on the menu which is expanding in the near future.

(Buttered Chicken with Chickpeas)

This restaurant is located near Dupont Circle and offers both carry-out and delivery to certain neighborhoods. The prices are reasonable and the delivery took less than 45 minutes to come on a sunday night which very good based on my past experiences with other local restaurants.