From Katie Andriulli. Email her at katie[AT]borderstan.com and follow her on Twitter @kandriulli.

BBQ Bus. (Katie Andriulli)

This week’s truck of choice is the BBQ Bus!

Food Selection and Price

I know it’s super hard to glean from the truck’s name, but the BBQ Bus does, in fact, sell BBQ… freshly smoked BBQ to be exact. You can get it in a few forms: pulled pork, beef brisket, and pulled chicken (in sandwiches or platters), or, if you prefer to give the finger (symbolically) to your salad-eating coworkers, spring for the full-on plate of pork ribs.

Although the meats are obviously the main event here, the sides are, dare I say it, even better than the headliner. Baked beans, slaw, black bean salad and roasted corn are featured daily, along with rotating specials. The day I went they were offering mashed potatoes with bacon, which… yes, please, always.

And, bonus! You can buy all of their meats by the pound, as well as larger portions of their sides if you want to take some home for dinner (or if you just have a lunch death wish).

Price range: Sandwiches are $9 to $9.50 plus tax, and combo plates range from $10 to $15 plus tax.

The Verdict!

How did BBQ Bus! do on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 the best?

• Wait time: 5/5. We arrived at peak lunch hour, and there was a handful of people ahead of us in line. We only waited about a minute to place our order, and then only another 5 minutes after that to have the food in hand. A total wait time of less than 6 minutes was greatly appreciated by this starving carnivore and her friends.
• Service: 5/5. Friendly and patient enough to answer dumb questions from me about their BBQ sauce (they put some on the sandwich, but have extra on the side if you like it sloppy). And, they take credit cards, so nothing to complain about here.
• Bang for your buck: 4/5. Combo plates (choice of meat(s), slaw, beans and bread) will run you from $10 to 15 dollars depending on how many meats you choose, and sandwich plates, which include your choice of side, are $9 for pork or chicken, and $9.50 for beef brisket. Possibly a bit pricier than some trucks, but make no mistake: these dudes give you a LOT of meat. Like, full two sandwiches worth… which means that you could easily split one with a friend and get away with spending 4 to 6 bucks on an filling lunch. Not too shabby
• Deliciousness: 5/5. I ordered the pulled pork BBQ sandwich with a side of baked beans, and my friends both went for the brisket sandwich with mashed potatoes and corn. Now, I am from New England and not by any means a BBQ expert y’all but let me just say… holy moly, it was good. The meat was tender and seasoned perfectly, the bun was soft, and the sauce itself (also homemade) was fantastic… I just wish I’d added more of it to my sandwich (check yours before you walk away to make sure it’s sauced enough for your liking). The sides I sampled, including the beans and potatoes, were insane in the brain. Huge… I mean HUGE pieces of delicious bacon in the potatoes and a zingy baked bean sauce left nothing to be desired. In all honestly, it was pretty disturbing/impressive how quickly my coworkers and I dispatched with our sandwiches. My only complaint (and I really had to dig deep to find something to complain about here) is that the crispy slaw on the sandwich was not really as coleslaw-ish as I had hoped, but rather more of a pickled veggie kind of thing. Still good, but if you’re looking for a creamier version, prepare yourself accordingly.
• Overall: 5/5. BBQ Bus is quickly becoming one of my favorite trucks, much to the dismay of my waistline.

BBQ Bus offerings. (Katie Andriulli)

Follow the BBQ Bus on Twitter @bbqbusdc and check out their website for their full menu and weekly schedule.

Truck you’re too scared to try? E-mail me at katie[AT]borderstan.com and and let me know!

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A culinary world tour on 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)

From Mathew Harkins. Email him at mharkins[AT]borderstan.com.

There’s been a lot of talk around here about the international experiences available in DC. And on top of that, there’s been some talk about DC’s ranking as a place worth visiting in 2013 because of our existing and ever-expanding food scene. Let’s admit it, this city’s doing well for itself in this second decade of the 2000s.

So, with food and the international experience on our minds, now seemed like a fine time to take a walk along 14th Street to survey our own culinary landscape. Sure, there are great establishments located throughout Borderstan but it’s undeniable that 14th Street has become the go-to location for great new restaurants.

The list below is in no way meant to be comprehensive; how could it be when there’s a new opening practically every few days? Instead, this makes for a good snapshot and a handy cheat sheet when you’re in the mood for a certain cuisine and you want to make sure there’s something nearby. Last week as we were preparing this piece Jessica Sidman at Washington City Paper gave us a great map of how the food landscape will look for the 14th Street corridor.

In no alphabetical or geographic order (besides being on 14th Street), here we go:

• French: the recently opened Le Diplomate.
• American: Birch & Barley, Bar Pilar, The Pig
• Seafood: Pearl Dive Oyster Palace.
• Thai: Thai Tanic, Rice, Teak Wood.
• Ethiopian: Lalibela.
• Spanish: the ever-popular Estadio.
• Belgian: the brand new B Too.
• Italian: a pair of brand new restaurants in Etto and Ghibellina, the standard in the city but new to the neighborhood Matchbox (admittedly better known as a pizza place), and the well known Posto.
• Mexican: El Centro, Taqueria Nacional
• Asian Fusion: Masa 14.
• Bakery: the brand new BakeHouse.
• Pub/Gastropub: Café Saint-Ex, Drafting Table, Black Whiskey
• German: Standard.
• Japanese: Tsunami Sushi & Lounge, Teak Wood (making it’s second appearance on this list).
• Chinese: the pleasantly renovated Great Wall Szechuan House.

So remember, this is a list that will probably be wanting for additions in just a few days, but you can always stay up-to-date at the Borderstan Food & Drink page.

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B Too at 1324 14th Street NW. (Lauren Jones)

From Lauren Jones. Email her at laurenjones[AT]borderstan.com

Recently opened B Too (1324 14th Street NW) brings a flavorful, modern twist of Belgian cuisine to Logan Circle. Chef and owner Bart Vandaele (you may know him from Belga Café) dedicates B Too to the hip and contemporary multicultural scene of Belgium, which is reflected in the food and eye-catching interior.

Menu items include traditional mussel bowls with flavors ranging from chorizo to lobster bisque, more playful fare like frog legs and a foie gras lollipop and beautifully grilled steak that is cooked in a Spanish influenced josper grill—the first of its kind in Washington. Pair your food with a selection from the extensive beer and wine list where Vandaele spent time to curate all of the wines himself, sometimes tasting up to 150 a day.

Country Meets City Chic

Vandaele paid full attention to the ambiance of the bi-level restaurant that, dare I say, carries a flare of European cheekiness. Think down home country meets city chic. The knowledgeable wait staff dresses in comfortable plaid and cowhides line the wall in the upstairs dining room that seats 175.

Downstairs, patrons are greeted with floor to ceiling photographs of a cow’s head and a little piggy snout. And the bathrooms… well, let’s just say they provide unique comic relief. Yet the plush leather bar stools and flower bouquets spread throughout give the space an elegant credit.

The wood for the tables and the bar has been reused and was a part of the building when it served as a locksmith shop. Vandaele also installed $60,000 worth of acoustic insulation so that guests can enjoy their dining experience without having to scream at the person across the table. Unless you choose to, of course.

B Too offers two bars, a waffle and frite bar and a chef’s table that lines the space around the open-air kitchen. Vandaele plans to incorporate new menu items weekly and introduce brunch soon. When I asked him what he thinks of the new digs he responded with “Every day is something new, something fun.” See the entire menu here.

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Piola is ready at 2208 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)

Nabil Ashi, Piola’s owner. (Luis Gomez Photos)

From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.

Piola has been in the works since May 2012. Finally this Monday it is happening: It will be open starting at 5 pm for dinner.

Piola had its soft opening during the weekend. Nabil Ashi, the owner of the 14th Street location, was there to greet friends and family as they were treated to Piola’s extensive menu of pizzas and Italian dishes.

Ashi says the menu will be very similar to the one found in their other locations: authentic Italian cuisine, pastas and an extensive list of pizzas served in a casual space. Piola will also serve wine and beer.

Piola’s space was design by Michiels Architecture & Partners and the Piola “in house design team” working closely together on the final product. We had a chance to talk to Maeva Michiels, senior architect of the firm, who told us that the design is based on the translation of “piola” in the ancient Italian dialect to “gathering place.” Our mission was to create an environment that becomes part of the local community in a dynamic way. The design of Piola is warm, friendly and inviting. With an emphasis on green architecture and recycled materials, the design of Piola is a mix of modern gestures such as openness, fluidity of spaces and abundant natural light combined with noble materials such as recycled wood and recycled brick. She was also in charge of the space at Table on 9th Street.

The international Italian food chain Piola, known for its pizza, is opening its second location in the area having one already in Arlington. At 2208 14th Street NW Piola is the latest opening in the corridor following Etto, Taqueria Nacional, BakeHouse, B too, Ghibellina and Black Whiskey.

Piola: Great pizza and Italian dishes. (Luis Gomez Photos)

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Worth the venture. (Luis Gomez Photos)

From Jane Alonso. Her passion for food and spirits leads her on frequent excursions into Borderstan’s land of bars and restaurants. Email her at jane[AT]borderstan.com

Consider the many favorite cuisines that we DCers like to spend our money on — Japanese, Mexican, Thai, Ethiopian, Italian. How about adding Balkan food to that list. Say what?

That is what makes Ambar, a Balkan-themed restaurant and bar on Barracks Row, such a courageous venture for Ivan Iricanin (Masa 14 and El Centro partner), who hails from Trstenik, a small town in southern Serbia. He is banking that DC will not only give Balkan cuisine a try, but enjoy it enough to return for more. Enjoy it enough to choose Ambar over other neighborhood favorites like Cava, Matchbox, and Belga Café for date night or after work drinks.

Kudos to Iricanin for taking a big risk, one that appears to be paying off. Judging from the packed crowd on my two visits since opening in January 2013, Ambar has succeeded in elevating Balkan cuisine to hipster status.  No easy feat in this competitive food market.

The name “Ambar” refers to the wooden structures that hold corn in the Balkan countryside. To evoke that quaint atmosphere, Iricanin hired a Serbia-based architectural firm, Atelje AL, to design Ambar. The result is a modern, casual, inviting space that fits perfectly with the general atmosphere of Barrack Row.

What is Balkan Food?

What is Balkan food like?  It might be best described as a mix of Turkish, Eastern European, and Mediterranean culinary influences, as the region was at the crossroads of many cultures for centuries.

Full disclosure: I lived and worked in Bosnia over a decade ago, and have spent considerable time traveling in Croatia, Serbia, and Montenegro. So I was, understandably, excited to see how Ambar would present my favorite regional dishes that I have a rare occasion to eat these days  (there are no Balkan restaurants in DC and only a few farther afield in Maryland and Virginia.)

Ambar creatively reinvents Balkan specialties such as cevapi (kebab), sarma (rice and beef stuffed sour cabbage), and sopska salata (a mixed tomato, pepper, cucumber, onion, and feta salad) for a modern American audience. The authentic flavors are all there, but the presentation is lighter and portions are smaller (tapas style), which render the traditionally “heavy” cuisine much more appealing.

Even the karadjordjeva snicla — rolled veal schnitzel, stuffed with a type of Balkan clotted cream called kajmak, then breaded and deep fried — isn’t coma-inducing. Which says a lot for a dish I dubbed “heart attack on a plate” when it was introduced to me in Bosnia.

Not every dish was a total hit. I found the leek croquettes and panko crusted peppers too Americanized and heavy for my tastes. And there are far too many potatoes served with the cevapi (a dish that doesn’t even come with potatoes in the Balkans).

For more on the food at Ambar, check out Tom Siestma’s review, released in March, in which he gave Ambar two stars.

The Beverages

In the beverage department, I have one strong recommendation — try one of many rakias (fruit brandies) that Iricanin has imported from Serbia. I can testify that these brandies are nothing like the homemade moonshine that reminded me of gasoline during Balkan days. Honestly, I didn’t even realize rakia could taste this good. It’s a bit pricey at an average of $10 a shot, but well worth a try.

Rakia comes in many flavors — plum (sljivovitz), grape (loza), pear (vilijamovka) — though my absolute favorite is an apricot rakia (kajsija) that the bartender insisted I try. My dining mates passed the exotic drinking vessel in which it was delivered around the table so everyone could have a turn to smell the incredibly intense floral apricot aroma.

And if rakia is too strong for you, the wine list is rich with interesting and surprisingly complex Balkan sections from Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and Moldova. The specialty cocktails are just as adventurous, using Balkan liquors to add a new twist to old hat cocktails like the Sarajevo Old Fashioned (sljivovitz, rye whiskey, bitters, and cane syrup) and the Zagreb Rakia Sour (loza, lime, bitters, and egg whites).

Ambar largely succeeds in making the best of Balkan cuisine accessible to the uninitiated. If your usual fare is boring you, venture cross town and give the Balkans a chance to capture your imagination for a night.

Details

• Ambar, 523 8th Street SE.
• Open Monday through Friday 11 am to 11 pm; Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10 am to midnight.
• Tapas from $6 to $16; Cocktails from $9 to $12; wines by the glass from $8 to $12.

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Taqueria Nacional at 1409 T Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)

From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.

Another opening in the neighborhood as John Fulchino and Ann Cashion’s latest spot, Taqueria Nacional, opened its doors yesterday by greeting us with delicious tacos.

John Fulchino of Taqueria Nacional. (Luis Gomez Photos)

After a year of renovations the old Post Office building has become Taqueria Nacional. The 2,600 square-foot, fast-casual restaurant serves up a variety of tacos (think beef, fish chicken, chorizo and lamb) made with organic ingredients. Fulchino also has added a variety of quesadillas and salads to the 14th Street menu, as well as margaritas, beer and agua frescas.

Taqueria Nacional will be open for breakfast starting at 7 am and lunch at 11 am. It will be offering “El Desayuno” served Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to noon. Check their menu here.

Fulchino created a space inspired by traditional Mexican and Cuban colors and designs with nice tiling and beautiful decor.

“I want to make the environment people are eating in feel like an old home in Mexico,” said Fulchino.

The new location will seat approximately 45 inside and 15 to 20 seats on the outdoor patio.

Taqueria Nacional at 1409 T Street NW.

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Great crowd at the Sweetlife Festival. ( Jennifer Sisto)

From Chelsea Rinnig. Email her at chelsea[AT]borderstan.com.

The Sweetlife Festival, now come and gone, provides such a great concept. With many young people attracted to the headliners and festival scene, Sweetlife captured the opportunity to promote local food, healthier options and sustainable practices on a large scale, hopefully setting an example for the festival circuit to follow.

Oysters a favorite to some. ( Jennifer Sisto)

The day began with some ominous clouds and light showers in the morning, clearing to sunny skies in time for a fantastic, soulful performance from Solange. Perusing the Food Forest, fresh strawberries from the Freshfarm Markets, KIND bar and Honest Tea samples, photobooths and sweetgreen salads provided a bright, light lunchtime. Festive youths flocked to the food trucks (including district natives Takorean, Pepe and the Big Cheese) and camped out on the green while the weather held up.

From the inside of the Pavilion, Gary Clark Jr. stole the audience’s hearts with a mesmerizing set of rock and roll and blues. Despite the pouring rain, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs kept the audience engaged and cheering as lead singer Karen O provided quite the show in a sparkly yellow short suit and fierce, studded leather jacket.

Great music. (Jennifer Sisto)

The rain cleared in time for dinner — I chose an oyster pancake from Toki Underground, where the chefs teamed up with Woodberry Kitchen and utilized every part of the pig you can imagine (including roasted head on the menu). Fully fed and having danced to a song or two at Holy Ghost! at the Treehouse Stage, I waited in the mud for Phoenix to close out the day. A set with many ups and downs, lead singer Thomas Mars ended on a high note, crowd surfing and then breaking the mike to throw it out to one lucky member of the audience.

At no other music festival could one have so many choices — from the usual fare of fries and chicken sandwiches, to chia pods, vegetarian falafel and even oysters (not a wise choice for the faint of heart or enthusiastic imbiber, however). Though teens tend to flock to this festival, opting for the Pavilion or VIP ticket provided another option for an older crowd to get up close with musical artists as well, and at least stay dry for most of the day. All in all, another success for the innovators at sweetgreen.

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From Namita Koppa. Email her at namita[AT]borderstan.com.

Get ready for Memorial Day with Namita’s Veggie Burger. (Namita Koppa)

I recently received a gift from my Mom. Upon hearing about it, my best friend said, “Oh… she LOVES you.” He’s right, but that’s beside the point.

Wrapped in love and nestled in sheaths of paper stuffing were two timely gifts: a 10 lb. bag of basmati rice and a new George Foreman Grill.

I nearly cried. You see, I had lost a prior model of George a few years ago to old age. With it, the opportunity to grill in my tiny studio apartment died too. Now, though, we’re back in action!!

Naturally, I’ve been grilling everything: carrots, lettuce, cheese sandwiches, bananas, mushrooms, tomatoes, and whatever else the grill will hold. With Memorial Day weekend coming up, I’ve been thinking a lot about burgers and BBQs, preferably near a pool and 80° sunshine.

Making veggie burgers can be complex and messy. Unlike meat burgers, the veggie burger requires careful proportions of ingredients; it can go from too dry to too wet in no time whatsoever. In the past, I’ve tried to make them at home, only to realize that 1) they will never be as delicious as my mother’s and 2) adding lots of flavors and ingredients doesn’t help. At base, these burgers only require a few ingredients: beans or lentils, rice or couscous, shredded vegetables, and a little bit of spice. Just KISS — Keep It Simple, Stupid.

The night George II arrived, I made these bean burgers using the meager contents of my kitchen. They are simple and easy to make. I hope you enjoy, play around with the recipe if you like, and come up with some delicious veggie burger recipes of your own!

Lima Bean-Carrot-Rice Burgers

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 2 cups cooked lima beans
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup cooked wild rice or brown rice or white rice
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• Pinch chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Sauté cumin seeds, onion, chili powder, and carrot in olive oil on medium heat. When the onion is translucent and carrots have softened, add lima beans and water. Stir the mixture once. Allow the water to evaporate and remove from heat.
2. Using a fork, mash half the mixture (not an exact science! You just want about half the lima beans to be mashed). Stir in rice, salt, and pepper.
3. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 6 to 8 burgers. Place in a tray and refrigerate for at least an hour. To cook, allow burgers to sit at room temperature for five minutes. Grill or pan-fry in 1 tsp. oil.
4. Serve in hamburger buns or lettuce wraps. Delicious topped with a little sour cream and hot sauce.

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From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.

Etto at 1541 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)

Week after week at least one new restaurant opens on 14th Street NW.

Etto, at the southeast corner of 14th and Q Streets, is having its soft opening today. The name of the restaurant means “100 grams” in Italian and the phrase is often used when purchasing food.

Tad Curtz will be bringing us his take on Italian food, with pizza, cold meats and wine.

The space formerly occupied by WellBuilt has been under renovation since 2011. The new space will have a capacity of 85 with outdoor seating. Curtz has done a wonderful job renovating the inside space to recreate a comfortable dinning area. New tiling and wood create a warm atmosphere with plenty of daylight.

Etto will join Ghibellina, Posto, Lupo Verde and the other Italian themed restaurants on the corridor.

Let’s hope it’s as good as Curtz’s current place — he has given us years of great beer and German food at Standard (1801 14th Street).

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Scratch DC (Kim Vu)

From Kim Vu. He also has his own food blog, DC Wrapped Dates. Follow him at@dcwrappeddates or email him at kim[AT]borderstan.com.

The working dad whose turn it is to cook but whose time is at a premium. The dater who wants to impress her prospective girlfriend but who can’t peel garlic. The roommates who have already burned through their favorite cookbooks and are yearning for something different. What do these people have in common? They’re the target audience for local start-up Scratch DC.

When it comes to making dinner, everyone, from the culinary neophyte to the gastronomic elite, wants the comfort of a well-made and self-made meal. Unfortunately, this desire occasionally goes hand-in-hand with a temporary lack of creativity, talent or perhaps most importantly, time. Scratch DC seeks to fill that void by cutting out the most onerous parts of home cooking: decision making, shopping and prep work. For around $30, Scratch delivers a meal kit for two right to your door. Add-ons include chocolate fondue dessert, and roses and candles; a beer and wine license is also being pursued.

On the day our sample box came, the situation could not have been more perfect for Scratch’s ideal consumer. I had just returned from a two-week long work trip, and my fiancée and I were headed out on a week-long vacation the next day, leaving our fridge options limited. Around 6 pm, our meal arrived: a shoebox-like container with individually packed ingredients.

Each component came in its own condiment cup or Ziploc bag, pre-cut and mixed. Also inside was a long recipe card with step-by-step instructions that were straightforward, idiot-proof and still a little tongue-in-cheek (sample: To the bowl, add your container of cheesy goodness [goat cheese, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, pepper] [marked with smiley]. Mix that sexiness up).

What We Had

Our meal was a spinach and goat cheese ravioli in a Portabella-Parmesan wine sauce, an entrée that seemed the right balance between readily accessible and foodie-friendly, with the added bonus of being asked to hand-make the ravioli yourselves (an ideal date situation if we’ve ever seen one). To that end, in place of pasta, Scratch had substituted wonton wrappers, which, as the recipe card put it, were “a little foodie secret.”

There was a lot to like about the set-up. For one, Scratch made no assumptions about what our kitchen would be stocked with: the box came with small containers of olive oil and salt and pepper. Its ingredient sourcing was solid, and at the least reflected a conscientiousness about their clientele. The meal also achieved the enviable success of having the final product seem much more impressive relative to the actual skill level and time needed to execute it.

For the budget conscious among us, the portion was more than ample for the two of us, a boon considering its price point. And, again perhaps most importantly, the dish itself was delicious: for cheese hounds like us, the thick more-parmesan-than-not sauce hit all the right spots and the added touch of bacon was a nice blast of salt (but was by no means a necessary ingredient, a plus for my pescetarian fiancée).

So if you find yourself caught in a dinner bind, Scratch DC is highly recommended.

Full Disclosure: I received a complementary package from ScratchDC.

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