Taqueria National: La puerta es Abierto (The Door is Open)

Taqueria National (400 N. Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20001) conjures up images of a little taco stand on the street in Mexico. I have never actually found this little stand in Mexico, but a man can dream, can't he? Not everything is perfect at this carry-out place behind Johnny Half Shell's, but in a city that often lacks authenticity, this is as close as you'll come.

The menu is small: a handful of taco options, a few salads, and some sides, along with a daily special that always seems out of place to me (it is rightly labeled, however "platos tipico America"). The tacos come in six varities: steak, chicken, pork, bean, chorizo, and fish. They are all topped with a onion and cilantro mixture, and only the chorizo also has cheese. They also have a daily taco special, which has ranged from tounge to brisket to a tostada (pictured below).

The ingredients on all, but the steak, impress me everytime I go in there. The pork is tender and flavorful. It tastes as if it has been marinated for hours, and then slow roasted to tender perfection. A touch less salt, and it would be divine. The chicken is similarly flavorful, and has a slightly spicy kick which accents the fresh corn tortillas that all tacos are served on. The chorizo, although on several occasions a bit too greasy, lays on a bed of mexican cheeses, and is perfectly seasoned. The fish is fried perfectly, and not at all greasy. It makes for a wonderfully light meal to satisfy a taco craving without resorting to meat. It also replaces the onion and cilantro mixture with fresh cabbage and a tangy white sauce. The steak has repeatedly been fatty and grisly, which has suprised me given the high quality of the other ingredients.

The tacos are small, but at 1.95-2.95 a pop, ordering two or three of them won't break the bank. They recently changed the packaging from a bulky container, to a little paper dish and a bag with a stamp indicating what animal you are about to enjoy.

Taqueria National's sides have also proven to be delicious, their yucca fries need a touch of salt, but they are a crunchy and, suprisingly healthier option to traditional potato fries. The guacomole is delicious, made in house, and served with fresh fried chips. The beverage selection is also as authentic as you can find, offering aqua refrescas; water flavored with fresh fruit. They are a delicious and refreshing addition to a meal of tacos. The selection of coke products are served in the small bottles you find in many areas around the world, and are made with real sugar, not corn syrup.

Finally, be sure to try the mini salsa bar, where you fill up little plastic containers with your choice of three homemade salsas. The chile salsa has a smoky, slightly spicy bite that tops any of the tacos, but especially the pork, wonderfully.

I said in the last review that if you are craving Mexican on the hill, your options are rather limited, but while you won't find a cheesy enchilada or giant burrito at Taqueria National, you will find a delicious and authentic alternative to Americanized Mexican at suprisingly affordable prices.

Taqueria National
400 N. Capitol Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
(202)737-7070
http://www.taquerianational.com
Breakfast: 7-9am daily
Lunch: 11am-3pm daily

La Loma: The Door is Open, but only because there is a door stopper

La Loma (316 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002) is one of those places that proves the age old saying "location, location, location." It is steps away from the Capitol building and the Senate Office Buildings, providing a audience of people who constantly need to eat and drink, and are generally too busy to actually care about how good what they are eating or drinking actually is.

This, combined with a lack of any other Mexican on the Senate side of the Hill, are probably why La Loma still exists.

With all that being said, it is not that terrible. The service is consistently friendly and prompt; they recognize that they are serving people who are generally pretty busy, and they have become good at reading your desired pace of your meal. The beers are cold, the margaritas are decent, and the selection of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes is large. The portions and prices are also pretty decent, but I don't know many people who can handle too large of portions of greasy Mexican food.

Greasiness may be the key problem here, although lack of traditional flavor and pre-prepared tasting ingredients could be a close second. Today I ordered chicken quesadillas which came swimming in a pool of grease that was quickly causing the bottom tortilla to transition from crisp to soggy. Try as I might, I can't seem to create that much grease when I make quesadillas at home. The other dish that we had, while also average in taste, demonstrated the type of service that makes people willing to put up with average Mexican.

The other reviewer wasn't too hungry, and decided to go with a single taco, which is a nice option to have on a menu. At 4.25, this isn't too cheap, but it is also a lot less than the actual dishes on the menu. Thus, many restaurants would probably just give you a taco on an empty plate. Not at La Loma, they served it with their traditional accompaniments, including pico de gallo and rice. A nice touch that other places may not think of or care to do when such an inexpensive item is all that is ordered.

Another plus is the patio in the front of the restaurant. It is always nice to have an outdoor dining option for lunch or happy hour, and La Loma is one of the few places that offers that perk as well.

La Loma is not great, but it has a great location. They do what they can to keep their customers happy, and so while we don't love the food, when we have a craving for a Mexican fix nearby the Hill, we will head back again.

La Loma
316 Massachusetts Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 548-2550

Taylor Gourmet: The Door is WIDE Open

It is very fitting that Taylor Gourmet Deli (1116 H Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002) is our first review on the Capitol Hill Food Review Association of the USA. It was one of our first, and most delicious finds.

Taylor was opened by two guys from Philly who were tired of the sub-par (no pun intended... ok, it was a little intended) sandwich scene in Washington. Instead of just blogging about their anger, they decided to open up their own place, and do it right, and boy are we glad they did.

Taylor is on a strip of H Street in North East DC that is often described as "up and coming," but if you are heading to check out Taylor for the first time, you'd probably think that they were the only ones to get that memo. Don't let the surroundings scare you away though, this place is the real deal.

People say that bread makes a sandwich, and they have certainly taken this to heart at Taylor. Taylor brings bread in from the famous Sarcone's Bakery in Philadelphia every day. We were skeptical at first that they would be able to continue this, and maintain the freshest bread, but after dozens of visits, we have never been disappointed by the bread.

The bread a crusty, yet easy to bite into, with a sesame seeds adding a slight crunch. It has always been incredibly fresh. The bread is a wonderful base for the top quality ingredients that fill the "hoagies."

We have yet to find a miss on the menu of just fewer than 2 dozen subs. If you really want to be blown away on your first visit though, you've got to try one of the hoagies with a chicken cutlet. The chicken is pounded thin, and coated in a light breading made from the crumbs of the day old bread from Sarcones. The seasoning is perfect, and they are panfried, not deepfried, fresh to order. Even when we have ordered delivery the cutlet's still have had a crispy bite to them.

The toppings range from the classic, Taylor's take on chicken parm (Ben Frankin Parkway), topped with homemade marinara and sharp Italian provolone, to the creative, with arugula, pesto, and brie (Island Ave.). My person favorite is the Vine Street Expressway, a decadent combination of prosciutto, pesto, and sharp provolone that always forces me to finish it no matter how many times I say I am saving the other half for dinner. Another winner is the Broad Street combining sauteed broccoli rabe with Taylors signature Italian provolone for a classic philly sub.

The cold hoagies are just as good. The 9th Street Italian is everything you'd expect from a Italian combo, but with better, fresher ingredients. One may wonder why you would order turkey at a place like Taylor, but you'd be missing a delicious (and healthier) option if you dismissed it. Fresh roasted in house, the turkey is paired with everything from sundried tomatoes and provolone (Sansom Street) to Imported Herb Roasted Ham, Genoa Salami, roasted peppers, and provolone to create the mouthwatering "Philly Landfill."

I could write more about every detail of every sandwich, but rest assured, there are no bad options here (at least none that we have tried). With all the work they put into their sandwiches, you would again think you could write off the "fritto," a portion of the menu offering three choices: Fried Ravioli, Fried Mozzarella Sticks, and Aranacini (an Italian street food of fried risotto balls stuffed with cheese). Our personal favorite of these are the Aranacini, a slightly spicy, creamy, crispy ball of heaven that you feel like you could eat all day. Just don't think about the calories. Both the mozzarella sticks and the ravioli are home made, and mouth watering as well.

Subs at Taylor use top quality ingredients, and you do pay for it. A 6 incher will run you anywhere from 6.50-7.30 and a 12 inch 8.50-9.50. The fritto are all 4.50.

Taylor has already recieved praise from many publications much bigger and more established than ours, including local celebrity chef Spike Mendelsohn who called Taylor "the best sandwich in DC right now."

For what it's worth, we agree. Isadore open or shut? It is unanimously agreed: door is WIDE OPEN!

Taylor Gourmet Deli
1116 H Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-684-7001
http://www.taylorgourmet.com
Hours:
Mon-Wed : 11:30AM -9:00PM
Thus-Sat: 11:30AM – 3:30AM
Sun: 11:30AM-8:00PM
Delivery is available to a pretty wide range of neighborhoods, for a $2 fee.

Welcome to the Capitol Hill Food Review Association of the USA

Hello, and welcome to the Capitol Hill Food Review Association of the USA. The purpose of this web site is to take in all of the gastronomical offerings of Capitol Hill and its surrounding areas in Washington, DC, digest them, and then let them out for all of the world to read, ideally in a print or video format.

How our ratings will work:
Our site is based upon the inspiration of a great man, with the middle name Isadore. Thus, with this in mind, we set forth on a brainstorm of immense and, at points, painful depths. We were looking for a way to bring the name Isadore into the reviewing of foods.

One Indian buffet later, and we had our answer: Isadore open or shut... (Is the door open or shut)
Sure, it may seem like a stretch, but we are men (and women) with a vision, a vision to review restaurants, and somehow tie the name Isadore into our reviews, and doggone it, we are going to make our vision come alive.

The vast majority of reviews will come from lunch dining experiences. We will (ideally) take some pictures of the food, offer a written or video account of the experience, and then each member of the Capitol Hill Food Review Association of the USA (CHFRAUSA) will vote: Isadore open or shut on the restaurant, and that, my friends, will be our official ranking.

So sit back, relax, and let us do the eating for you. You just need to read, and then unequivocally follow every recommendation that we give, because after all, if you can't follow the advice of people you know nothing about who are writing on a free web site hosted by blogspot, than what good is this whole internet thing anyways?