ChiDogO's A-Go-Go

It's always an interesting time entering a dining situation with someone who has such extensive experience with the food you're about to eat. Whenever we go out to eat barbecue, I'm sure Elyse (hereafter referred to as "The Expert") is extra sensitive to all of the KC-style fanboy nonsense I spout. Similarly, any time we're within an area code of a restaurant that claims it sells "authentic Chicago-style hot dogs," my impulse is to watch her closely first and see how she reacts. I might love something, but until she gives it the thumbs up, I'll keep my thoughts to myself. She grew up visiting her family on the South Side of Chi so often it sometimes seemed like she never left.

Walking into ChiDogO's then, just off of U Street, NW, my food purist radar was on high alert.

Looking at the menus variety of dogs and sandwiches - it pained me to pass on the beef sandwich, but there's always next time - we settled to split a Chicago Dog and a Chili Dog. The first thing that struck me was the fact we were getting two hot dogs for under $8. The two dogs were handed to us wrapped and in a paper bag, which The Expert informed me was the right way. So far, so good.

The dogs themselves were delicious. The cheesy Chili Dog exuded all sorts of flavor and texture without being so messy that it required being hosed down afterward. And after an evening of spending too much money on alcohol on U Street, this seems like a tremendous end note to a night out. The Expert and I both greatly enjoyed the Chicago Dog as well. She ranted and raved that THIS was the kind of Poppy-Seed bun that so many area imitators lacked. The elements (yellow mustard, green relish, chopped onions, a pickle spear, tomatoes, celery salt*, etc.) were plentiful but not overflowing, and everything tasted utterly cohesive. Because we were so hungry, the dogs disappeared in a matter of minutes, leaving only the vague recollection of a prior doubt. Did ChiDogO's live up to all of The Expert's exact specifications? No. The Expert claimed it was sprinkled with too much celery salt and said the tomato seemed a bit limp. But, then again, it's hard to imagine her finding anything suitable anywhere more than 10 miles outside of The Loop.

Therefore, we already had a positive take on the restaurant before we got up to leave. As we did, Bill, ChiDogO's manager came out to say hello to us. He'd noticed Elyse (yes, enough with the gimmick) taking pictures of our food before we ate. She does this everywhere; just one of the hazards of food blogging, I guess. It's hard not to make a scene. But I digress.

Producing his business card, Bill told us that he hoped we'd enjoy our meal and to let him know what we thought. He told us to check out the restaurant on Facebook and Twitter, and thanked us for showing interest. Now, this seems like an obvious move. It seems obvious in this day and age that if you see people (who are obviously food bloggers) sitting in your dining room, you'd want to interact with him. But I can tell you he was the first. We've never been approached, engaged, and recognized in such a way. We don't write this blog for such interactions, to be sure. We write because we love food. But encountering someone in the restaurant world who doesn't look down upon our presence in his business and, quite the opposite, thanks you for being there? It's encouraging. Maybe the city is finally starting to get wise.

I Love You I Do

It wasn't a pastry chef or a well known bakery that can be credited with bringing the cupcake trend to Washington DC. In 2002 a lawyer left his firm and opened a small cake shop in the up and coming neighborhood of U Street. Head baker, Warren Brown started selling simple cakes and cupcakes made with butter, sugar and other ingredients that could be referred to as "the good stuff" at Cake Love.

In the past 8 years the business has grown and there are now 6 locations around town. Yet, there is just one Love Cafe. Love Cafe is considered to be the little sister of Cake Love, but I would consider it to be more along the lines of the better half of a relationship. It is located across the street from the original bakery, and maintains a very laid-back vibe. It is the type of place you would go on a Sunday morning with the newspaper and some friends to hang out for a few hours. Every day they offer a rotating assortment of baked goods, sandwiches, salads, and good old fashioned breakfast items such as an egg sandwich. On the weekend they offer a limited number of frittatas, giving you a reason to get out of bed before your alarm goes off.

Even though the name of Brown's empire recalls cake, I don't recommend that you make a beeline for the cupcakes in the case. The cake tends to be a bit dry, and they are served chilled (which kind of turns me off). There are far better ways to inhale your calories and spend your money. Instead I recommend spending less than $10 0n a savory dish and an cappuccino made with Italian espresso and walking away full. Love Cafe isn't the most innovative or exciting, but it feels like a neighborhood hangout, which is sometimes all you need.

image: cakelove.com

All Together Now

I am going to put this out there - I'm not a southern girl. I don't want to dress up to go to a college football game. Y'all doesn't come out of my mouth every time I am referring to a group of people. The obsession with the Confederacy baffles me. And I'm not used to the mannerisms of that part of the country. But, there is one thing I could get used to, and that is the food.

Although DC is close to the South (Virginia is basically an extension of the District), it's not so close that you can find a lot of true Southern cooking. But, if you journey over to U St, you will find Oohs & Aahs which feels as if it has been plucked out of the South and transplanted here. Everything about this place reeks of a grandmother's kitchen in Alabama or Georgia or another state in that part of the country. The staff treats you like family and wants to make sure that you are happy and leave full. Even the dining room feels like it is a dining room in a house. The chairs are mismatched and the tables are different shapes and sizes - it's not conventional, but it is part of what gives Oohs & Aahs its personality.

The menu reads like a "what's what" of Southern cuisine. You can get everything from fried catfish to rib eye steaks to fried chicken - and those are only the main dishes! The sides absolutely delicious. The mac & cheese is gooey and hot, the cornbread is extremely fresh and the yams are so rich that they may as well count for dessert. It took a long time (and lots of questions) for my friend and I to decide what to order. Ultimately we chose the "two meat" combo with two sides. I chose to get the bbq beef short ribs and she got the crab cake, and we decided on mac & cheese and yams for our sides - we each spent about $14 for a large portion of food. My short ribs were so tender that the meat was falling off the bone. The crab cake had barely any filler (a rare occurrence in these parts). And the yams may be one of the most delicious incarnations of potatoes that I have ever had.

When my friend and I left Oohs & Aahs it was as if we were going from one world to another just by stepping out the front door. The food was outstanding and filling. Was it the most healthy food ever? No way. But was it memorable and delicious and a part of the South that I could get behind? Absolutely.

image: relentlessbride.com