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Best of the U.S. in Your Backyard II
Regional tastes near your home base
By Warren Rojas / Photography by Hana Jung and Pamela Soorenko
Aching to eat your way across this great nation of ours without blowing what’s left of your anemic 401(k) on gas and tolls?
Lucky for you, we’ve tracked down another batch of regional delights. Think: SoCal fish tacos, Southwestern chiles rellenos, Primanti-style sandwiches, frothy egg creams, Boston cream pies and hearty Brunswick stew—guaranteed to stretch your palate from sea to shining sea.
San Diego Fish Tacos
Does it get any better than shooting the curl, coasting to shore and then celebrating with an icy Pacifico and a double-rolled fish taco? Dunno (probably because I can’t surf to save my life). But I’m totally down with the latter part of this SoCal tradition.
Soup & Taco (Photography by Pam Soorenko)
TOP NOTCH
Soup & Taco
813 Caroline St., Fredericksburg; 540-899-0969. Average entree: Under 12 ($). Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday.
Though they cater predominantly to college kids, we should all be so lucky as to subsist on the diet of solidly Central American fare cranked out at this family-run gem.
Shell: two soft corn tortillas come standard
Filling: grilled tilapia (charred skin, fluffy meat) brings the sizzle, homemade pico de gallo (ample tomato, onion and cilantro) adds zing while silky crema (turbocharged with jalapeno) drives it all home
Bonus: lime wedges lend acid/authenticity to each handheld feast
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Clare and Don’s Beach Shack
BYO platter includes a grilled (good) or blackened (better) mahi filet, brown rice (boring), refried beans (buttery), homemade slaw (hit or miss), guacamole (lemony) and warm flour tortillas (stiff). 130 N. Washington St., Falls Church; 703-532-9283; www.clareanddons.com. Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Taqueria Poblano
Were we talking shrimp tacos—TP’s version bears near-blackened specimens ensconced in pickled onions and plucky avocado dressing—this would’ve been a no-brainer. But the beer-battered mahi didn’t wow me as much. Multiple NoVA locations; www.taqueriapoblano.com. Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Check locations for times.
SPARE YOURSELF
Hamburger Hamlet
Glad I ate beforehand, otherwise this would’ve ruined my night. Flimsy flour tortillas overtaxed by shredded lettuce and undermined by non-descript fish sticks. 1601 Crystal Square Arcade, Arlington; 703-413-0422; www.hamburgerhamlet.com. Open for lunch and dinner daily.
New York Egg Cream
What can you say about a 19th-century treat that’s simplistic in its design—all you need is milk, chocolate syrup and carbonated water—yet near impossible to forget?
Photography by Pam Soorenko
TOP NOTCH
Celebrity Delly
7263-A Arlington Blvd., Falls Church; 703-573-9002; www.thecelebritydely.com. Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Open for breakfast Friday through Sunday, lunch daily, dinner Monday through Saturday.
Celebrity has the whole Gotham deli thing—Pithy quotes? Plastered everywhere. Jewish soul food? Ess a bisel eppis—down pat. And their by-the-numbers egg cream is no exception.
Syrup: prolonged squirt of Fox’s u-bet syrup keeps the chocolate coming
Solution: splash of whole milk followed by plenty of fizzy, soda water
Bonus: protruding silver spoon allows for easy retrieval of any chocolate syrup that may have settled at the bottom
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Cheeburger Cheeburger
You typically see more floats and malts on the tables here, but their egg cream (available in both vanilla or chocolate) is good; chocolate syrup clings to the sides of the tall, fountain-style glass while the bubbling soda produces a light fizz and frothy top that calls to mind whipped egg whites. 22000 Dulles Retail Plaza, Dulles; 703-421-2766; www.cheeburger.com. Average entree: Under $12 ($). Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Chutzpah
You can’t go wrong with Fox’s u-bet and seltzer. Chutzpah’s version is sweet, salty and, ultimately, quite soothing. Multiple NoVA locations; www.chutzpahdeli.com. Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Check locations for times.
Santa Fe Chile Relleno
The beauty of the stuffed hot pepper—a staple of New Mexican dining—is that whatever hitches a ride inside need only assist rather than outshine its tongue-teasing host. Luckily, there are those who love a challenge.
Photography by Hana Jung
TOP NOTCH
La Sandia
7852-L Tysons Corner Center, McLean; 703-893-2222; www.modernmexican.com. Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Open for lunch Monday through Friday, dinner daily, brunch Saturday and Sunday.
Mexican expat-cum-cheflebrity Richard Sandoval loves to tinker with traditional Latin flavors. So while I typically root for the strict traditionalists in these specialty dish hunts, his Southwestern-style ratatouille and proprietary sauces won me over.
Base: blistered, lightly breaded and deep-fried poblano pepper (fiery to its core)
Filling: think sweet corn, diced onions, mixed peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes, all bound by a three-cheese blend (Chihuahua, Monterey Jack and Oaxaca)
Bonus: the filled-to-the-brim fireball is cradled by refried beans and a ring of tangy-sweet chipotle sauce
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Los Toltecos
Their well-scorched poblanos combine fire (far and away the spiciest peppers of the bunch) with nice (a bittersweet mole melds chocolate with chipotle spice). Too bad the filling seems content to just phone it in. Multiple NoVA locations; www.lostoltecosrestaurant.com. Average entree: Under 12 ($). Open for lunch and dinner daily.
Anita’s
Long, slender pepper virtually dissolves into a melange of molten cheese, zesty green chile sauce, soupy beans and savory Spanish rice. Multiple NoVA locations; www.anitascorp.com. Average entree: Under $12 ($). Check locations for times.
SPARE YOURSELF
Mateo’s Santa Fe Cafe
Plates are piled high with melted cheese, diced tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream and chile sauces—red, green or “Christmas” (half and half). Sadly, it’s all to distract you from the lackluster centerpiece (bland peppers) buried beneath. 5081 Waterway Drive, Montclair; 703-670-7747; www.mateossantafecafe.net. Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Open for lunch Tuesday through Friday, dinner Tuesday through Sunday, brunch Saturday and Sunday.
Brunswick Stew
This historic vegetable-and-whatever-protein-you-like brew (the “original recipe” calls for flying squirrel; modern iterations favor chicken, beef, pork or any combination thereof) is so prized, two states—Georgia and the Old Dominion—officially claim it as their own.
Photography by Hana Jung
TOP NOTCH
Sammy T’s
801 Caroline St., Fredericksburg; 540-371-2008; www.sammyts.com. Average entree: Under $12 ($). Open for lunch and dinner daily.
This Fredericksburg touchstone fields the most vegetable-rich entry in the bunch, lavishing guests with garden-fresh goodies while never skimping on the broth-infused poultry. “It’s definitely the most popular soup that we have,” a 15-year restaurant veteran says of the pre-Civil War-era brew.
Base: low-simmered tomatoes backed by potatoes, corn, okra (nice touch) and lima beans
Proteins: chunked, white meat chicken rounds out the experience
Bonus: complete the Southern tribute by cooling off with an ice-filled glass of Firefly Sweet Tea vodka
HONORABLE MENTIONS
JR’s Stockyards Inn
JR’s actually bills their brew as North Carolina-style, which, in this case, explains the inescapable sweet-to-tangy tomato base; chicken, potatoes and beans are standard. 8130 Watson St., McLean; 703-893-3390; www.jrsbeef.com. Average entree: $21 to $30 ($$$). Open for lunch Monday through Friday, dinner daily.
Tun Tavern
The barkeep (perhaps channeling his inner George Washington) wasn’t lying when he described the homey stew—packed with shredded chicken, slow-roasted beef, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, lima beans and onions—as “good, stick-to-your-ribs food.” 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway, Triangle; 800-635-1775; www.usmcmuseum.org. Average entree: Under $12 ($). Open for lunch daily.
Boston Cream Pie
The custard-and-cake creation that put Boston’s Parker House Hotel on the map is now enjoyed the world over. And rightly so.
Photography by Pam Soorenko
TOP NOTCH
Mom’s Apple Pie Company
Multiple NoVA locations; www.momsapplepieco.com. Average entree: Under $12 ($). Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
Though their seasonal fruit offerings remain the biggest draw, a Mom’s manager says Boston cream pies are year-round favorites. “We actually have those seven days a week,” she notes.
Shell: golden cake (terrific sponginess)
Filling: homemade egg custard brings the sweet
Bonus: chilled chocolate ganache is, quite literally, the icing on the cake
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Lost Dog/Stray Cat Cafes
This five-tier take on the northern favorite treats non-traditionalists to strata after strata of yellow sponge cake, velvety custard, dense cheesecake, marble frosting and a chocolate mousse blossom (delectably rich). Multiple NoVA locations; www.lostdogcafe.com; www.thestraycatcafe.com. Average entree: Under $12 ($). Check locations for times.
Legal Sea Foods
Legal’s avant-garde confection (made special by a Boston-area bakery) features java-soaked cake (very tiramisu-y), sweet cream in the middle and a pencil-thin layer of dark chocolate on top. Multiple NoVA locations; www.legalseafoods.com. Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Check locations for times.
Pittsburgh Primanti Bros. Sandwich
Pennsylvanians can chow down on the fried potato-topped towers at various Primanti’s shops. What we lack in accessibility is more than made up for by the generous proportions of local interpretations.
Photography by Pam Soorenko
TOP NOTCH
Liberty Tavern
3195 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703-465-9360; www.thelibertytavern.com. Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Open for lunch, Wednesday through Friday, dinner and late-night dining daily, brunch Saturday and Sunday.
Liberty Tavern owner Stephen Fedorchak credits chef Liam LaCivita—a Pittsburgh native—for bringing seasoned sandwich lovers to their knees. “Its fans include a lot of loyal regulars who have one or two every week,” he suggests.
Bread: homemade Italian (excellent containment)
Filling: two fingers of hot, moist pastrami (perfectly frayed edges, succulent center), melted provolone, robust slaw (heavy on the cabbage and shaved carrots) and crispy, salt-flecked fries
Bonus: LT offers a fried Polyface Farm egg upgrade—“For $0.50 it’s good sandwich insurance,” one server advised when I waffled a bit about extras—well worth the added investment/calories/messiness.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
55’s
Their Pittsburgh Favorite takes a few liberties with the original formula (tomatoes add some sass, slathered mayo ups the creaminess ante), but the core elements—grilled ham, fresh-cut fries, cooling slaw—are on point. 15125 Washington St. #104, Haymarket; 703-753-9255; www.haymarket55s.com. Average entree: Under $12 ($). Open for breakfast, Tuesday though Sunday, lunch and dinner daily.
Glory Days Grill
The Pittsburgher pads its grilled corned beef AND pastrami foundation (a smoky-juicy-salty match made in deli heaven) with melted Swiss (too tame), mushy fries, sweet slaw, all pressed into a seeded hard roll (durable canvas). Multiple NoVA locations; www.glorydaysgrill.com. Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$). Check locations for times.
(March 2010)