Week 10 - England/Union Jack's

Union Jack’s pub in Bethesda is known as a hot spot for sports viewing, especially during football season when Sportstalk 980 broadcasts its Redskin post game show from the bar. But the pub also has an authentic English menu featuring such favorites as the Ploughman’s Lunch and Welsh Rarebit. And so I found myself enjoying March madness while sampling Union Jack’s British Invasion menu.

I started the meal with a Bass and the Welsh Rarebit, rye toast and a small pot of spicy cheese for dipping. The cheese is mixed with beer, mustard and spices to give it a hot kick. But they should have given more bread to use for dipping; more than ½ the pot was left uneaten. Next was Bangers ‘n Mash, English sausage served with mashed potatoes. The sausage appeared to be a little charred, but it tasted fine. I also tried the Fish ‘n Chips, the fish a huge piece of cod (or whale shark – see pic) dipped in an English beer batter. Yummy.

So I can’t make any real criticism – how can you beat drinking beer, watching the Tourney (not soccer…), and enjoying good pub food. What else is there?

Week 9 - Mozambique/Portugal - Nando's Peri Peri

Located in the Penn Quarter near the Verizon Center, Nando’s Peri-Peri typifies what my around the world quest is all about. Way back in the day Portuguese settlers in Mozambique loved a small, spicy chili the natives were using called peri-peri. The Portuguese then brought the peri-peri spice to South Africa during a gold rush, and now it can be found right here in our nation’s capital 500 years later. Nando’s has 300 locations in 30 countries around the world. We’re lucky to have the only Nando’s in the U.S.

So I don’t know exactly which country to attribute Nando’s to. Should it be Mozambique, Portugal, or South Africa? I’m going to say Mozambique since that’s where the original peri-peri spice comes from that enlivens the chicken. (and yes, I’m trying to get to 52…)

In any case, the chicken can be ordered in different dishes with varying levels of spice. I like the ½ chicken with the “hot” level. It adds just the right amount of heat to the succulent chicken. Delicious sides such as butternut squash and grilled corn, mashed potatoes, and french fries compliment the chicken. Wine and unusual beer selections can also be had. Served in a semi fast food manner, visiting Nando’s is a fun outing that won’t empty your wallet.

This trip to Nando’s topped off a night of Capitals hockey at the Verizon Center with some other Dads from the ‘hood. Thanks goes to Derek for organizing the night and getting the tickets, and also for recommending Nando’s for the post game meal.

www.nandosperiperi.com

Week 8 - Germany/Cafe Berlin

Washington is in the throes of a massive spending plan thanks to the ‘Bama and the Dems on the Hill. They’re shoveling billions upon billions of tax dollars out the door. Stimulus plan, omnibus spending bill, TARP, TALF, housing rescue, on and on it goes. Perhaps what these “leaders” need is a taste of German efficiency. And maybe if they eat enough sauerbraten and wiener schnitzel they’ll start to solve our countries problems in a meaningful way.

With that in mind I’m heading to Café Berlin on Capitol Hill.

I order Jagerschnitzel, a traditional German dish of tender pork steak topped with spicy bacon and mushroom sauce and then served on top of spatzle, or homemade pasta.

My first impression is that the pork steak is really flat – flattened in fact. My imagination gets the better of me and I think back to days of yore in Bavaria when strong, healthy fraus would swing their tenderizing hammers to flatten (conquer) her cuts of pork. Still, the Jagerschnitzel tastes delicious, the mushroom sauce is rich with flavor, and the spatzle is yummy. I also try Café Berlin’s Sauerbraten. It too is delicious, complimented well by tangy red cabbage.

The dishes are straight forward and filling. No exotic spices or flavors to be found. So it’s not efficiency, but comfort dishes I’ve enjoyed, and in these uncertain days comfort is needed. And I’m sure these dishes will taste the same on the next visit as well.

In the end I’m not sure that anything can help our leaders. But I do know that something needs to fortify the GOP to fight the good fight on Capitol Hill. Maybe the answer is Jagerschnitzel at Café Berlin.

Cafe Berlin

322 Mass Ave NE

www.cafeberlindc.com