Modern Vesper

The Vesper has a fairly interesting history, even for a cocktail. It's a classic James Bond drink, ordered by him in Casino Royale. It's also impossible to make exactly the way James Bond had it. Why? Because the original recipe calls for Kina Lillet, which is not made anymore. In 1986, Lillet changed the formula, making their aperitif wine sweeter and less bitter. This made it less suitable for the cocktails, like the Vesper and the Corpse Reviver, it had previously been used in. Fortunately, Cocchi Americano is readily available, and has a flavor profile similar to the original. I made this with more Cocchi than vodka, because vodka is boring. It's pretty tasty, though I think I prefer a classic martini. Remember friends, martinis should be stirred not shaken! Recipe after the jump.

Restaurant Association Responds to Food Truck Rules

According to Young & Hungry, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is against the new regulations I discussed here. While they aren't ideal, most food trucks have come out in favor of the new rules, viewing them as a step forward from the old regulatory framework. Unsurprisingly, then, RAMW is against them:

In a press release, RAMW tells city officials to "go back to the drawing board," calling the new regs "inadequate and woefully short of actually adhering to the existing law that plainly requires the assignment of designated vending spots for food trucks." 

The group is referring to a 2009 statute, which states, "The Mayor shall designate the specific vending locations on sidewalks, roadways, and other public spaces where a person may vend."
The new regulations, released Jan. 20, specifically allow food trucks and other vending vehicles to "park at any legal parking space," which RAMW contends is not specific enough under the law.

In its statement, the organization, which represents mostly brick-and-mortar restaurants, tried to clarify its position as not anti-food truck or anti-small business, per se, but rather about promoting fairness for all operators, big or small, rooted or mobile.

It's pretty clear to me that the restaurants are in fact anti-food truck; they view food trucks as competition, and so want to deny them a spot at the table. Despite being a fan of the half-smoke wagons, I like having the variety of options that the relaxed regulation of food trucks has allowed. Perhaps instead of complaining and trying to use the government to stifle competition, the brick and mortar restaurants ought to try and produce better food?

Codmother

Codmother may sound like a Terry Pratchett novel, but it's actually a small, hole in the wall place located on U St. It's designed to be a facsimile of a British pub. It has punk posters and photos, and lots of exposed brick and chalked graffiti. Their main dish is fish and chips — the name comes from the fact that cod is a great fish for fish and chips, and the female of the species is meatier than the male. (I suspect there's a your momma joke in there somewhere.)

The fish and chips they get their name from are the best I've ever had. They are these balls of cod, with a relatively thin crust, deep fried and served with tartar sauce and mushy peas. It's not the traditional breaded fillet, but I think it works better as a nugget; it's easier to eat. I don't care for mushy peas, preferring them to have a bit of a snap, but theirs are quite good, if occasionally a little salty. The chips are thick cut and fairly bland, but they go well with the peas.

Recently, they added a lamb burger to the menu, called the "pimp hooker" burger. Not sure why. It's good, as far as it goes, but it's spiced like a gyro and makes you crave tzatziki sauce. It's not particularly menu, and seems like it was placed on the menu for people who don't eat fish, rather than out of any passion from the owners.

The beer selection is limited, but eclectic. With the exception of Guinness, their draughts are all American mass-produced swill. They have a large selection of British beers in the can and bottle, however, including Boddington's, Old Speckled Hen, and Sam Smith. It's one of our favorite places to go on U St for a low key dinner.

Gina's Divorce

My favorite bartender in DC, Gina Chersevani, is leaving PS7s. This is really sad; she's what made that bar worthwhile. The other bartenders there are perfectly fine, don't get me wrong, but it was Gina's boundless sense of creativity that made the lounge at PS7s special. I look forward to hearing what her next plans are, and I'm sure I'll be talking about them and enjoying her next project.

Gina with her award-winning cotton candy cocktail. Photo from dcfab.

Here's the news from the Washingtonian:

According to Chersevani, a disagreement with Smith led to the split. The duo—who’ve been a prominent team both in the restaurant and out on the event circuit—were developing a new concept together this year, but it's unclear whether or not that will go forward as planned. 

“How do you leave a place after three years and separate yourself?” says Chersevani. “It’s like a divorce.”

Update: Prince of Petworth passes on a rumor that Gina might be opening a cocktail deli at 6th and Pennsylvania SE.

Basil Time!

While it may not be my favorite food truck, Basil Thyme is probably the best of those I frequent regularly. The ingredients they use to make their lasagnas are top notch -- I've never had a bad slice here. For just $10, you can get a slice of lasagna, a beverage, and a cannoli. They have four types of lasagna, plus a manicotti, and the flavor of cannoli varies each day. The last time I was here, it was mocha. The service is really quick. There's almost never a line, and it's never taken more than a minute for me to get my lunch.

I've never had the manicotti, but I've had all three of their non-seasonal lasagnas. The 'Linda' is a traditional lasagna, like your mother used to make, and the variety that I almost always get, at least ever since they stopped making the Pasquale. The Lisetta is made with slow-roasted pork in a vodka sauce, while the Catena is a shallot and white wine sauteed lasagna with plenty of spinach. I don't particularly like cooked spinach, so the Catena isn't really my thing, but my wife loves it, so I trust it's just a matter of taste. The Giuseppe is their seasonal lasagna. Currently, it's a truffle and portabella lasagna that's supposed to be excellent.

What really impresses me, though, is their salad. Each lasagna comes with a salad, and it's not just some iceberg lettuce arranged in the form of a salad like some people's. (I'm looking at you, Yellow Vendor.) It's a really good rich spring mix, with kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, and tomatoes, and topped with shaved parmesan cheese. They didn't need to make this impressive of a salad. Just the lasagna would have been enough. But this is a great addition to their meal.

Kushi Chef Assorted Sashimi plate

Kushi Chef assorted Sashimi plate, a photo by Asaris1 on Flickr.

El Raja Key

The other day, I was browsing Yelp reviews of restaurants in Astoria looking for some place to have lunch. (We ended up at the Sparrow Tavern. It was very good.) I happened across a restaurant, Central Lounge, which offered something called a Gummy Bear Martini. It involved triple sec, sour mix, and other gross things. But the concept seemed interesting, so I thought I'd fool around with it.

The El Raja Key is undoubtedly much tarter than the original version. This is balanced out by quite a lot of sweetness from the Chambord and the rum, but it ended up being tarter than I wanted. Additionally, the flavors didn't marry as well as I'd normally like. The main flavors are raspberry and orange, but you tend to taste them separately. It reminded me of something, but I'm not sure what. Possibly Superman ice cream. Not the best drink I've ever made, but not bad, and I think it'll be good with a bit of work. Recipe after the jump.