Capital Cuisine in the Nation's Capitol

We just returned from a bucket list-y kind of trip to our nation's capital, Washington D.C.  I was there back-in-the-day on a family road trip as a whining, complaining, bored, sullen, back seat 8-year old passenger.  My vague memory included a spanking on the steps of the Smithsonian by my frustrated father who drove a non-air conditioned car 6,000 miles round trip across the country in the hot, humid summer of 1957.  I'm sure he heard a never-ending chorus of "When are we going to get there?"  sigh...

Flash forward to Spring Break, 2018:  The Cherry Blossom Festival, teens, tweens, schools, families, and tourists galore, pouring into this important, historic seat of our government. We traveled with great friends, walked 35+ miles in 6 days, and navigated the impressive public metro system.  We saw 7 monuments, 9 museums, the Ford Theater, the Kennedy Center, Embassy Row, the Capitol building, and President Obama's neighborhood.  We even waited for hours in countless lines and in cold and rainy weather...and didn't even mind one bit.

Seriously, the culinary scene in D.C. is quite astounding.  We arrived armed with recommendations from friends at home along with many locals we met in the city (I asked everybody...in planes, on the metro, at street corners:  "Where do you like to eat?").  It was crisp, rainy, and downright cold for our California, weather-wimpy crew.  So we gravitated toward cozy restaurants and familiar comfort food.

THE FOOD:

For breakfast we loved Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe on Connecticut Avenue (DuPont Circle).  Their brioche french toast was the best we've ever eaten; a rich custard with the perfect punch of cinnamon.  We just couldn't resist.  Our lunches often were speedy and spare and spent in a Smithsonian or Capitol cafe (going out of a building and facing security lines to re-enter was too daunting).

For dinner, we adored the Hamilton's (swanky yet reasonably priced) Nashville-Style Hot Chicken.  It was crispy fried chicken (not at all greasy), served with the most delicious mashed (not mushed) potatoes, cole slaw, house-made bread, and butter pickles (The Book Sage, Lloyd, and our friend, Steve, are still talking about it). 

I loved our dining experience at Clyde's (Gallery Place, near the National Gallery; amazing). Their beef stew (sounds pedestrian, but, oh man, "to die for!") was cooked to tender perfection with celery, carrots, parsnips, and peas; nestled in a wine sauce with a buttery creamy plop of potatoes and crispy onions atop. We even ate barbecued brisket at Thunder Grill in the Grand Hall of Union Station.  That brisket was out of this world and, quite frankly, into the next.

Have I mentioned the coolest gelato ever scooped into a cup?  It came from Dolcezza.  The peanut butter straciatella was so ridiculously good we all had it 4 times during our week's stay.  Makes me weep just thinking about its loveliness!

Yes, the food in D.C. was memorable.  And, yet, what we all took away from our experience was the service in all the restaurants; above and beyond.  Not only did exemplary customer service shine, but so did just plain old neighborly kindness.

THE SERVICE:
Yeah, we all know that good customer service is about making guests feel welcome while there and then leaving happy.  We expect restaurant staff to be prompt (no hovering), friendly, and, of course, bring us food prepared to our liking - tasty, piping hot, and seasoned to perfection.

So our D.C. experience left us discussing the magic of the intuitive waitstaff (in just about every single eatery) more than the food.  Huh?  It was the stand-out subject among the four of us.  We're not talking about eating in Michelin star-studded establishments, where a meal cost is comparable to an auto sticker price either.  Our eateries were mostly $$.

I teach social skills as part of my requisite responsibilities as a Speech & Language Pathologist.  And what became abundantly clear to me was that an excellent server must be a communication expert in all areas - verbal and non-verbal, seen and unseen.  I have to admit that I never connected the dots with "social thinking" abilities and someone who delivers great service.  Great service providers are experts in social communication:

- They are outstanding listeners.
- They make good eye contact.
- They interpret tone of voice.
- They understand the customer's perspective.
- They are able to determine how friendly/chatty/social the customer wants them to be.
- They speak clearly and confidently.
- They are knowledgeable about the menu.
- They provide information without too much unnecessary detail.

Washington D.C. Restaurant Fun Facts:

1.  There are 2,233 restaurants in Washington D.C.

2.  72 restaurants in the city received Zagat food scores of 4.5 or higher out of a possible 5.0.

3.  D.C.'s culinary distinctions include James Beard award-winning chefs, AAA Five Diamond ratings, and Bon Appetit's Best Restaurant City of 2016.

4.  Washington D.C. attracted 20 million domestic visitors in 2016.

Wowza !!!