Los Angeles - a destination for ethnic food lovers

Taquitos in avocado sauce at Olvera street

We recently spent a long weekend in Los Angeles. If you are fan of different ethnic cuisines, LA's various ethnic enclaves offer a variety of options.

We tried several dishes ranging from sushi, Korean soups, biryani to curries. While none of it was something I had not eaten before, when you try these dishes in places that primarily serve a native audience, you can be assured that the food is authentic.In Little Bangladesh, for example, one restaurant featured Bengali sweets like kheer kadam which are typically not found even in some of the Bangladeshi restaurants I have visited.

The ubiquitous Mexican food was a complete delight. From mom-and-pop shops to up-scale chains, this city has it all. I tried some dishes for the first time, like flautas, taquitos in avocado sauce at the popular Olvera Street, and experienced guacamole being made fresh at my table at Rosa Mexicano. And the fact that you can have a wholesome meal for less than $10 certainly adds to the feel-good factor.

West African cuisine - Appioo African Bar Grill

Appioo African Bar Grill,
1924, 9th St NW,
Washington DC, 20001

We recently visited Appioo African Bar Grill, a Ghanian restaurant in downtown DC. It was my first experience with west African cuisine so i may not be the best judge of its authenticity but I loved it!

 My personal favorite were their plantains (Kelewele) - which were well executed and had a very nice ginger flavor . We also tried their Appioo chicken wings with a spicy sauce, Jollof rice (Ghanaian rice cooked in a tomato sauce) with goat, and Komi Ke Kenan (fermented corn and cassava dough dumpling with chicken). I would imagine the food would be perceived to be a bit spicy for a western palate but, in my opinion, it was one of the best meals I have had - with just the right blend of spices.  There was a lot of meat on the menu. Although I did not try any of those dishes. if you are a fan of spicy stews, they would be worth trying them.

The ambiance was at best modest but the prices were very reasonable. Recommended.

Romanian Food Festival

Lime cake

Romanian Food Festival, 2017.
Potamac, Maryland.

We recently attended the Romanian Food Festival in Potomac, Maryland.

It was my first exposure to Romanian food. It was very simple, closest to home-cooked food. We tried their vegetables and pork stuffed cabbage rolls, polenta (boiled corn meal), grilled chicken and home-made stuffed pork sausages.

A bit bland for my palate but edible for sure. My favorite were the desserts. We tried a moist lime cake stuffed with cream and baklava. Unlike most desserts, these flavors were very subtle.

Qiche with caramelized onions and feta (topped with smoked salmon)

Basic Ingredients (2-4 servings)
4 eggs
Ready-made Pie crust
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Feta/Goat cheese
1 cup milk
Finely chopped 1/2 cup spinach
1 1/2 red onions
1 small tomato
1 teaspoon salt (alter to your taste)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Rosemary

Step 1: Break the eggs into a large bowl and add  the cheeses and milk. Add spinach, diced tomato, salt, pepper, rosemary. Mix them well and set aside.

Step 2: After allowing the frozen pie-crust to thaw for an hour and a half, set it in a baking dish, greased with butter.

Step 3: In a separate pan, caramelize the onions.

Step 4: Allow them to cool down and add it to the prepared mixture. 

Step 4: Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F ( C) and bake it for 40-45 minutes. Place smoked salmon on top. Cut into wedges and serve hot.

Russian-Uzbek Fare

Rus-Uz

Steamed dumplings

1000 N. Randolph Street

Arlington, Virginia 22202

Rus-Uz, in Ballston, Arlington, offers Russian and Uzbek cuisine. Having been here several times, I have found the quality of the food to be consistent and the prices are fare. 

During our most recent visit, we picked the pirohski (potato and mushroom pastry) and Herring under fur coat (a layered fish salad) for appetizers. For the main course, we had a Uzbek delicacy called manti (large steamed dumplings with lamb and onions, served with a sauce on top), and russian roasted salmon with pomegranate sauce. Personally, I found the food a bit bland for my taste. But I could see the comfort food appeal in all their dishes - simple and well-executed. For meat-lovers, there were several beef and pork dishes on the menu. 

If you are in mood for some simple and hot food on a cold day, this is a great ethnic dining option in Arlington. Reasonably priced. Recommended. 

Kapnos - Greek fare

Saganaki

We recently visited Kapnos Taverna in  Ballston. I tried their lunch and dinner menus and absolutely loved it. The strengths of Kapnos are the small portions of most items on the menu (similar to the tapas); the flavor and presentation; and its variety.

I have to give a call out to their spreads. We tried the smoky eggplant (melitzanosalata) and a feta cheese spread (tyrokaftari). Both were served with some fresh pita and were very tasty. Their traditional saganaki (think flamed cheese with a dash honey) was also delicious. Their spanakopita, however, was just not as good.

Eggplant spread with pita

For the main course, we tried the falafel, marinated chicken souvlaki and spit-roasted lamb. All the dishes were the same size but were sufficiently filling. For dessert, we tried their almond cake. While nothing great, there was also nothing to complain about.

The Ballston location also has a raw bar. We tried their raw oysters. Expensive.

If I were to find a fault, it would be the ambiance. A bit noisy for a quiet dinner.

While not as good as what I have had was in Chicago's Greek neighborhood, Kapnos is one of the better Mediterranean options in the DC region. Recommended.

Indian Street Food in the DC area

Mysore Masala Dosa

Bindaas
3309 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008

In 2000s, Indian street food would have been quite a rare sight in the DC area. This scarcity of Indian fast food options appears to be coming to an end, as we recently discovered two places that specialize in Indian street cuisine.

The first, Bindaas, is a fairly new Indian restaurant located in the District. We tried their brunch menu on a Sunday - bhel puri, pao masala omelette, and chicken kathi roll with chai. The menu also featured some South Indian comfort dishes such as uttapam. The food was authentic and generally well-executed. Recommended.

Street Kitchen, 
7943B Tysons Corner Center, Tysons, VA 22102

The other restaurant was located in the Tysons mall next to the newly opened American Tandoor, Street Kitchen serves dosas and kathi rolls. The rolls were edible although an indian palate may not think of them as authentic. We also tried their mysore masala and chicken dosa and were pleasantly surprised at how good it was. A new addition to their menu is Masala chai (Indian spiced tea), which is great.