From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com.

Taylor Gourmet’s DC locations will serve cheesesteaks next week. (Luis Gomez photos).

If you haven’t made it out to H Street for Steak & Ice — or can’t make it as often as you would like — but love the guys from Taylor Gourmet, you’re in luck.

Next week, Taylor Gourmet is bringing Steak & Ice to four of its DC locations, for one day at each location, including the Dupont Circle location (1200 19th Street NW) and the 14th Street location (1908 14th Street NW).

Taylor Gourmet co-owner Casey Patten will be at each Taylor Gourmet location on its specific day, making each cheesesteak.

The Schedule

• May 28: Penn Quarter (624 E Street NW)
• May 29: DuPont Circle (1200 19th Street NW)
• May 30: 14th Street (1908 14th Street NW)
• May 31: City Vista (485 K Street NW)

The Details

• Starting at 11 am, select Taylor Gourmet locations will serve up Steak & Ice’s Philly cheesesteak goodness.
• There will only be 50 cheesesteaks per location, first come, first serve.
• Menu options include the Original Ribeye Cheesesteak (or chicken breast)
  • Wit or Wit Out (with onions or without onions).
  • Choice of original whiz, house made white whiz, provolone or American cheese.
• A small Italian water ice is free for each cheesesteak purchase.

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Homebrewing. (Rob Fink)

From Rob Fink. Follow him on Twitter @RobDFink or email him at rob[AT]borderstan.com.

In order to fully comprehend (or at least attempt to) a given style of beer, it’s sometimes beneficial to conceive of it from the inside out. In other words, it’s sometimes best to brew it yourself in order to come to terms with style parameters. In years past, I’ve brewed a fair number of “imperialized” styles, styles which are meant to amplify, accentuate and otherwise strengthen beers of relatively modest strength. When my good friend Brian Stanton approached me to collaborate on a beer in honor of his son’s first birthday, the idea for a Wee Heavy was born.

This is what happens when you almost don’t pay enough attention to the boil. (Brian Hussein Stanton)

However, the birth of the style itself has a more complicated history. What eventually become known as wee heavy (or alternate phrasings such as scotch ale or strong scotch ale) in the United States engendered quite the convoluted history before traversing the Atlantic.

Beginning in the 19th Century, the strength of Scottish ales where referred to by the shilling system. Numerical differences anywhere from 60 to 160 shillings indicated alcoholic strength while anything over 100 shillings could be characterized as wee heavy, with potential alcohol by volumes reaching the double digits. However, “heavy” could also refer to a beer of much more modest strength akin to an English bitter, which would typically not surpass beyond 4%.

As it’s conceived of in the American craft landscape, wee heavy is a strong, malt behemoth, and what Brian and I fervently sought to replicate. We wanted to encapsulate the lush caramel, rich toffee, burnt sugar and hint of chocolate the wee heavy provides in spades. After a two-hour boil wherein two gallons of first runnings were condensed then added it back to the main boil, the beer was chilled, yeast was pitched, and the rest was history, at least for a short while.

It ended up with an original gravity of 1.125 (this is a huge beer regardless of historical period), and nearly a month later, is currently hovering around 13%. Interestingly, my inspiration in terms of recipe formulation is a beer of more modest strength but incalculable grace.

This is what happens when you definitely don’t pay enough attention to the boil.(Brian Hussein Stanton)

Dressed in deep mahogany with a rocky off-white head, Traquir House Ale is undoubtedly my favorite wee heavy and actually Scottish to boot. Densely sweet toffee and caramelized sugar catapults out of the glass while the body remains relatively dry, making the beer not only drinkable but very food appropriate. Even at 7.2%, this beer was practically born for venison stew or a rack of lamb. Regardless of what you serve it with, it is a delicious malt bomb in the best sense of the phrase. Thankfully, this beer is also readily available in the Borderstan area — stores such as Whole Foods on P St and De Vinos on 18th Street NW typically carry it while it never leaves the 500-plus bottle list at Churchkey on 14th Street NW.

Given the rapidly approaching five-month DC heat wave, Traquir House Ale is the perfect match for mint accented crème brûlée or a vivacious fruit tart. I only hope that my wee heavy has mellowed out by then in order to enjoy sweater weather this fall (full report forthcoming!).

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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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So many places to go in the city. (Luis Gomez Photos)

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

The past couple of weeks have seen Passport DC events happening all over the city. If you’ve been lucky enough to find the time, then you’ve had the chance to be transported to Parisian cafes, Brazilian jazz clubs and Slovenian concert halls, all without packing a single suitcase.

But, you might ask yourself, how does my own city stack up against all this international competition? How do I know where DC stands in the great ranking of countries and cities?

Look no further than the Travel section of The New York Times, which published a list this past January of the 46 Places to Go in 2013. Some may be surprised, but our city made it onto this select list, coming in at #43 and one of only seven U.S. locations on the list.

The main reason for the attention on our city has to do with our ever-expanding food scene. The handful of restaurants/locations that have been selected for the piece include:

• Toki Underground — at 1234 H Street NE
• Union Market — at 1309 5th Street NE
• Graffiato — at 707 6th Street NW
• Little Serow — (our own nearby entry) at 1511 17th Street NW

At the close of this short list, the Times includes the exhibit, “Food: Transforming America’s Table 1950-2000,” currently open at the National Museum of American History.

And as we good Borderstan readers know, this is only the thinnest sample of the culinary excitement happening here in DC. From Stephen Starr’s Le Diplomate to the Italian invasion we’ve seen happening on 14th Street; from the outdoor barbecue to the expansion of local culinary entrepreneurs. The Borderstan area and DC at large is full of exciting new food and restaurant experiences, keeping our taste buds happy and our interest piqued for what might come next.

Not only do we have a few more bragging rights now, but if we keep up at this rate, we’ll be closer to the top of a few more lists next year.

For a rundown of some of the restaurants newly opened or opening in the area this spring/summer, take a look at the list from this past March.

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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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