Ben's Chili Bowl

Yes I know it's been almost a month since my last post, and yes I've been to M and S Grill in Reston, review should come later on for that. This past weekend Liz and I attended her holiday party in D.C. Don't ask what holiday, I am not sure, it doesn't matter, free food, free booze, and a hotel room in D.C.
Moving on though, Ben's, yes I am sure there are tons of posts and reviews online, the place has been around for 50 years (2008 was the anniversary). Anthony Bourdain went on his latest show of No Reservations, and loved it. I was going to go a few weeks back when then President-elect, now President Obama was there, I am somewhat miffed about that. However, this place is a landmark, it survived race riots, the civil rights movement, and the downturn and now resurgence of the U-street area.
Getting there was relatively easy for my first time, U-street Cardoza stop on the yellow/green Metro, and walk across the street. Now when I got there, I had a bit of an issue, no cash, I tried to find a Bank of America, that didn't happen, I ended up walking about 4 blocks down and just stopped at the first ATM I saw. I was on a bit on a time schedule now. I got back to Ben's and just as I was warned, the line was out the door, and around the corner into the alley way or Ben's Ali. I was running out of time, and I was cold. The line moved smoothly, and before I knew it I was inside, however there was another line 2 people deep at the limited counter space they had, and I knew if I waited I wouldn't be out in time to go to my next stop. There was this nice older lady in front of me Ida, and her grandson, at least I think it was, and her daughter maybe, I never got the relation. They needed 6 people to go sit in the back for table service, thinking quick on my feet and not knowing what would happen, I said "excuse me if you need an extra person, I can make 5, and we could try to go back" Ida agreed and off we went. I knew what I was going to order, I really didn't look that hard at the menu, I got a Half Smoke, which is not a hot dog, its a sausage, with chili, and mustard, I also ended up with their famous french fries, but I went the chili and cheese route on those as well.
The sausage was snappy and full of flavor, like a good sausage should be, the chili, the place is named after it for a reason, it is the type of chili that works well as a flavor enhancer, think of it as salt, you can put this stuff on anything, like Dennis Quaid said in National Lampoons Vegas Vacation, Yuban coffee, I used to put it on my mashed potatoes. That pretty much sums up the chili, it has good spice, good flavor and texture, best chili I have ever had, no, but good. Onto the fries, which I couldn't finish, I am just as amazed as you, they were good, the #10 can cheese mixed with the chili well, not so much the gin later on that night though. Next time I go I'll skip the chili and cheese and order them plain. I met nice people, and enjoyed myself. I would go back, however I am going to wait until the tourists are long gone. Flickr set can be found here as usual, yes only 3 pictures, I was playing around while waiting for trains, which is why you see some long exposure shots in there. Enjoy

New Years Eve at Wildfire

Let me indulge the 4 people that read my blog (you know who you are).
Rules of Dining:
1. Pick a restaurant for the type of cuisine you like
2. Do not believe reviews of restaurants - except mine
3. Never go on a weekend expecting to be amazed
4. Never go to a restaurant that makes you pick a pre-selected menu - most items are cooked a week in advance and are sitting in warmer trays waiting to be schlepped upon you
There are more rules, but those are the important ones, keeping those in mind lets continue on.

When you pick a time to go out and enjoy a nice night out, most people choose Friday or Saturday night to hit the restaurants. Most people end up not fully experiencing what that restaurant is capable of, and 80% of the time walk away unsatisfied. The same can be said for a holiday. Now that really isn't the restaurant's fault, they are trying to have a fast turnover, and don't want to keep their customers waiting, so mistakes tend to happen when people are rushed, which is why go on a Tuesday/Wednesday. I was at Wildfire when it first opened over the summer, and I enjoyed it then, however being a holiday, things can change.

Liz and I were trying to figure out for a couple of weeks where we wanted to go for our New Year's Eve. I am not the typical party type as I used to be, so I like to keep things low-key. I am a whore for a good steak and a good steak restaurant, and living in D.C. there are many places to go for a fine example of a steak. We narrowed down our choices: Ruth's Chris, Morton's, Shula's, Charlie Palmer's, The Capitol Grille and Wildfire. The best meal I have eaten in my life so far has come from Charlie Palmer's, however strapped for cash, due to "reasons" we decided to keep things close and stick with Wildfire.

Wildfire is part of the Lettuce Entertain You group, most if not all of their restaurants are located in Chicago, they each have a different type of atmosphere, from quick restaurants like Wow Bao (which I'm dying to try) to more classy sit down restaurants like Wildfire. Wildfire has five outposts in Illinois, one in Minnesota, one in Georgia, and the newest one in Virgina.

The tag line from their website is "Steaks, chops and seafood." Like any steak place they have nicely aged cuts of steaks, in the typical steakhouse range. I, like most adults like to have a good filet if I go out, I like it medium - medium rare, I enjoy cutting it with a fork. I also do not prefer to have my steak seasoned with your local house bbq sauce or hit up with so many spices I can't tell what I am eating. Salt, Pepper, and some butter, put that one a plate with some of the steak juice and I am a happy man.

Liz and I had reservations for around 7:15, but we decided to change plans and arrived around 6:15, and it was quiet and slow, which meant good things. We were somewhat hungry, we started with their Spinach and Artichoke "Fondue" with garlic points, A wine flight: two white and two red (don't ask, I know one was a Cabernet). The fondue as they call it was decent enough, but at Trader Joe's they sell a much better version for a lot cheaper, we'll try something else next time for an appetizer. After we finished that, we got our meals, and this is where it goes off the rails. Liz orders a filet, and I ordered their "not so special" special (it's the special everytime I go), which is 3, 3 ounce filets with your choice of crusts. I went with the Parmesan, Bearnaise, and Loaded Baked Potato. For sides Liz chose the mashed potatoes, and I opted for the White Cheddar Potato Au' Gratin.

My meal is perfect for the type of night, nothing to over-stuffing, because it is NYE and I had plans after, however Liz had a bit of a problem. She had ordered her steak medium, however when it came out it was still rare, I wouldn't have minded, as I have eaten a raw chicken, and beef carpaccio, plus I am fat and I don't care all that much. But hey, we are paying a lot of money for a good meal, so why not have it cooked the way we want it. We asked our waiter to toss it back on the grill, after about 10 minutes and my meal getting cold, Liz's steak arrived, this time burnt and dead, she was very upset as was I, my steak had gotten cold, our sides were cold, and she was hungry. After another 5 minutes Liz spots a manager, and we explain to her the situation, which happens often on weekends and holidays people, take note. Liz asked the manager if she could just have a children's steak as she wasn't hungry anymore. She agreed and had the other steak comped. In the end Liz enjoyed her meal, but this is my blog and I talk about my food. My steaks were cooked perfectly, just how I like them, the crusts that were put on top were all amazing, my personal fave was the Parmesan, with the baked potato coming in second and the Bearnaise coming in a third. The Au' Gratin potatoes, were amazing, however a baked potato walked by me as I got them and had one of those feelings like "damn, should have ordered that."

Minus the screw-up in the kitchen, I'll give them a pass due to the holiday, it was an enjoyable experience had by all, I enjoyed the food, and of course the company. Wildfire is an all around good performer, not quite at the level of the bigger named steak houses, but one day it should make it there. Thanks for reading, leave comments, and let me know if there is anything different I can do or places I need to try. As always Flick Set is located here, not like you haven't seen most of them, forgive the bad lighting, I need better GLASS F2.8!!!!