STAYING CURRENT

In no way, shape or form am I a sushi snob. Although I must admit that during my stint in L.A., I had some of the best sushi experiences there. And I’m not only talking about the ultra-glam sushi experiences that you’d expect to have at Matsuhisa, Nobu, or even Mori Sushi in West L.A. Even in the most obscure places in the L.A. area you are bound to find a sushi spot that is pretty excellent (Except, of course, Creative Sushi in Santa Monica… Uh, hi. I don’t like my sushi warm, thanks.). I owe the excellent sushi “culture” of L.A. to the fact that they are a coastal city, and the Pacific is the gateway to some of the best fish (…and sharks, and octopus, and moray eels. I’ll save this info for a future post on my biggest fears.).

Since I’ve been back in the DC area, I haven’t had a serious hankering for sushi. I think part of it is that I have never known my city to be a haven for sashimi, nigiri, or maki (rolls). The sushi experience in DC, for me at least, has always been just OK, unless you’ve got a soft spot for rolls that are named after U.S. states or cities. I’ve had some of the best California and Philadelphia rolls ever here in DC, but I would never base a real sushi experience after those. (Cream cheese in a maki roll? Not exactly the 'E True Hollywood Story' according to my Japanese friends – AKA ‘Sushi Police.’)

Case in point: Current. Current is the reincarnation of the once-very-popular Dragonfly. Located on Connecticut Avenue, smack in the center of the Golden Triangle’s bar/club corridor, Current is nestled in a comfortable nook that’s just a stones throw away from the somewhat iconic Julia’s Empanadas and the now-defunct MCCXXII (1223). With new kids on the block like Steve’s Bar Room and the re-furbished Public Bar (formerly Club Five), Current somehow still manages to be … current. While the place still attracts a crowd (an albeit random one), the sushi can only be described as OK at best.

Their menu isn’t super impressive, but it is full of the standards: toro (fatty tuna), sake (Scottish salmon, in this case), aji (mackerel), unagi (eel), and uni (urchin) to name a few. And their maki rolls are also pretty typical: Dragon (eel, avocado, roe, and shrimp tempura), crunchy roll, and soft shell crab. The biggest plus for me is that the rolls are not the Stay-puff Marshmallow Man-sized craziness that you’ll find at your average glamorized “pan-Asian bistro.” Current deals out normal-sized rolls; pieces that are easily consumed without having to attempt to bite them in half. And while the sushi tastes decent, it isn’t really mind-blowing. While it’s definitely better than grocery store or food court sushi, it isn’t the melt-in-your-mouth kind that would make you want to run back for more. Not that I expect all sushi to be done a la Hiroyuki Urasawa, either.

The gleam of light from my experience at Current was definitely the hotate (scallop) kushi (skewer), which easily reminded me of some of the L.A. area’s robata and kushi spots, or izakaya. The scallop was perfectly grilled, and not over-cooked. And it was bursting with flavor.

Current’s décor is interesting, for lack of a better term. However it is miles away better than it was before. As Dragonfly, the soft glow of the interior colored lighting of the lounge would sexily emanate from the frosted main window. Couple that with the ultra-mod (and stark white) tables and chairs, and you had one of DC’s first ventures into the trendy Euro-chic style of the late 90s. But Dragonfly was always so cramped, and the use of the space was poor. With Current comes a much better use of the space, with the elongated bar giving way to a bevy of tables in front of, and to the side of it. Now patrons can comfortably lounge around the space without feeling confined. But while the use of space comes as a much-needed improvement, the décor is not as likable. It is surely a breath of fresh of air from ye ole Dragonfly days. And while the upstairs lounge area is typically lush as any trendy spot can be nowadays, the dining room’s use of aluminum-looking strips across the main and sushi bars (which I imagine to represent electric currents) made me think of tin-foil the whole time I was there.


Given the opportunity to go back with friends for a few rounds of drinks, or to commiserate in the lounge –I’d go again. The service was friendly enough to warrant a return visit, but I could easily skip the food. In the meantime, I'm on the hunt for a better sushi spot in the city.
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Current, 1215 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202.955.5525

(Photos courtesy of the restaurant's website.)

THE MECHANICAL BULL HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING

Growing up in Ft. Washington, MD in the 80s & 90s, I had no exposure whatsoever to the mechanical bull. That kind of thing I only saw in movies or television shows. What else would you expect growing up in P. G. County --the wealthiest county in the nation with an African-American majority? There were no mechanical bulls to be found where I grew up. Back in the day, we had the Fort Foote Market to go to when we wanted Garbage Pail Kids or other snacks. We had to drive out to Springfield, VA for a decent mall (since there was no sense in driving to Landover or Iverson) to get our "I.O.U." sweatshirts from Merry Go Round. Even the restaurant scene was non-existent; before Bangkok Golden there was Shakey's in Livingston Square.

There was no place for a mechanical bull in P. G. County --then.

Nowadays, the mechanical bull has become somewhat symbolic in a way (for me, at least), but only since I've lived in Los Angeles. The Sunset Strip's Saddle Ranch Chop House is known for their mechanical bull. It's often the "jump off" spot on The Strip; you start there, and work your way down to Miyagi's or Chateau Marmont. SR is where some former "Real Worlders" and/or "Road Rulers" found themselves working after their stints with MTV. It's where masses of drunken women (and sometimes drunken men) dare to defy the odds of triumphing over the infamous "mechanical bull." On busy weekend nights, crowds of people surround SR's bull pen to watch as person after person after person would hop on the bull, thrash about as it rocked back and forth or up and down, and then finally be thrown off with nothing left but humiliation AND the adulation of drunk "fans" screaming at them from outside the pen. This is the scene that IS the SR in L.A. It's the place where I was taken as a visitor to L.A. back in the day, and the place where I now take my visitors to continue the chain of experience.

Now back to Ft. Washington, MD, and fast-forward to the present day --now.

I hear that the mechanical bull has made its way to the Metro DC area; in my parents' backyard, to be exact. How, why, when, why... how? I am clueless. But I guess it can only mean that Ft. Washington, MD has either (1) come a long way, or (2) has regressed. I choose to believe in option 1, Pat.

With the new National Harbor now up and operating in P. G. County, a slew of some of the nation's chainy and trendy fixtures are taking root there. Word is that the Aloft hotel has now opened; the Aloft is an offspring of Starwood Hotels, and boasts a boutique-ish/trendy "scene." Supposedly, L.A.'s Dolce was supposed to take root at the National Harbor, but it's more likely that its sister restaurant, Ketchup, will be the one to open up shop. Will it attract the Hollywood-esque crowd that it's used to? We have yet to find out. NYC's Rosa Mexicana now operates its second DC-area location at the Harbor. Local operations such as CakeLove, Bobby McKey's (dueling piano bar), and Grace's Mandarin proudly take their place alongside nationally known chains like Sauciety (at The Westin), McCormick & Schmick's, and Potbelly Sandwich Works. Even NYC's Bond 45 is expected to make an appearance at the Harbor soon.

What gets me, though, is the new "home" for the Harbor's own mechanical bull: Cadillac Ranch. Touted as an "All-American Bar & Grill," CR brings a bit of the SR-flavor to the Metro DC area. It may not have the same vibe as the Strip's SR (hot and very-accomodating bar tenders calling you to the bar as soon as you enter the Ranch's heavy velvety-curtained doorway, with an equally attractive & attentive wait staff; all actors and models, I'm sure), but it still brings that sense of Americana to that corner of the world by way of the mechanical bull. The next time I'm home, I have to check this place out. I must measure its potential against my knowledge and experience with SR. Part of me worries that CR will be way more conservative than it's L.A. cousin, but hey... everything comes with baby steps.

I think I'm gonna cry. Ft. Washington, MD is all grown-up. *tear*
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OK. So I just read somewhere on-line that both the Saddle Ranch (from CA) and Cadillac Ranch (from the East Coast) had each made their way to Arizona early last year; SR @ Old Town Scottsdale, and CR @ Tempe Marketplace. The "ranch" war that waged sort of came head-to-head once the area realized that there was room for both ranches in the greater Scottsdale/Tempe areas. CR edged where food was concerned, but SR had the edge on scene. But that's in Arizona. We're talkin' "mechanical bulls" in Ft. Washington here. Who knows how this will end up?

One thing is for sure... For me, the Saddle Ranch on Sunset will always have a special place in my heart. (sigh)

TAPAS, POR FAVOR

I recently visited Santa Barbara over the weekend, and I met up with friends for a few glasses of wine along busy State Street. We stumbled upon a Spanish tapas restaurant/bar called Matador Tapas Bar & Spanish Steakhouse, and decided to give it a try. While our main draw for the place was wine, we became interested in their menu of small dishes. Our waitress, Jessie, turned us on to a bottle of Argentinian cabernet sauvignon called “Terrazas,” which she described as having an “explosion” of tastes. She was spot-on with the description, and we found the wine absolutely enjoyable. For eats, we decided to go with both frias y calientes. Our cold selection was the Seleccion Matador, or special selection antipasto, a nice mixture of cheeses, olives, bread and Spanish cured meats. It was a sure-thing, and we ate it up. The green and brown olives were not strong tasting, but very mild; a nice compliment to the mild cheeses and meats as well. It would’ve been more interesting to have more daring flavors, but it seemed that the establishment decided to go for “safe” rather than “exotic.” We found the same to be true with the warm dish, Plato Mixto – a dish of chicken & beef skewers, miniature lamb chops, and a mixture of roasted veggies. While the flavors were good enough to be enjoyed, they could’ve pushed the envelope a little bit and added more fuel to the fire. To be fair, we didn’t try any of the restaurant’s main dishes, but we were left a little wanton after the tapas. The wine, however, made up for the experience.

I give Matador an A- for ambience. It has a nice, dark interior which makes it a nice place for a “date night.” There are interesting art pieces on the walls, and you get the feeling that you’re in a cozy wine bar. It doesn’t scream “trendy” at all, but definitely is more comfortable. For food, I give it a C+. For a nice place with nice wines, I expected more flavors to come alive in their dishes.

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Matador Tapas Bar & Latin Steakhouse, 714 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, 805.965.1307