Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant in Baltimore, MD

I've wanted to try Ethiopian food for some time, so tonight I went to Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant (pronounced DOOKem) in Baltimore. This is the second location of a well-known Ethiopian restaurant in Washington DC.

It was good but different -- Ethiopian food is served without utensils, and you use injera bread to scoop it up into your mouth.


About Dukem
Washington DC has about 200,000 Ethiopian residents, and I'm told that includes many if not most of the taxi cab drivers in the District. The stretch of U Street between 9th and 12th Streets in the Shaw neighborhood of DC is sometimes called "Little Ethiopia," and Dukem is one of several Ethiopian restaurants there, including Etete and Queen Makeda.

The Baltimore Dukem opened in 2004, within a few blocks of The Meyerhoff (where the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra plays), the University of Baltimore, and about 5 blocks from Baltimore's Washington Monument.

The Baltimore location has an unprepossessing exterior but is warmer inside, though still somewhat worn around the edges. The small first floor is dominated by a wooden-topped bar with the kitchen in the back, and has several small tabletops in the dining area. The upstairs section was closed today.

The Food
I got a vegetable sambusa (fried pastry shell with lentils, onions, and jalapeños) and a combination platter consisting of beef tibs (beef cubes sauteed with onions, rosemary, tomatoes, jalapeños, and garlic), lamb wot (spicy lamb stew), and minchet abesh (finely chopped beef in ginger and garlic). It also came with a tomato salad.

The sambusa was pretty good. I was doubtful at first because the shell looked overdone, but it was light and flaky and the vegetable filling was nicely spicy, if a little sparse.


For my main meal, the injera bread was not what I expected. It has a spongy consistency similar to a thin cold pancake, but it tasted a lot better than it looked. While I was eating an Ethiopian gentleman came in and ordered a pack of injera bread, speaking what I assume was Amharic.

The meal was served on a large platter on top of injera bread, with another folded injera on the side. I had trouble gauging how much I should scoop up each time, and if there's a graceful way to use pieces of injera bread to eat stew I haven't figured it out. I initially tried not to use my left hand (even though I'm a southpaw) because I wasn't sure you're supposed to, but I found it impossible to tear the injera off without it.


As for the food itself, the minchet abesh was a little bland, but both the beef tibs and the lamb stew were excellent and full of flavor. The stew was indeed very spicy and the marinated tibs were firm yet tender, with much of the flavor coming from the sauteed vegetables.

Next Time
The next time I eat Ethiopian food, I think I'll focus on the tibs and maybe the sambusas. While I liked the wot (stew) it was kind of messy to eat with the injera, especially where the bread was soggy after lying under the food.

The injera bread isn't to my taste, but I'm willing to view it as a cultural experience. Also, since this was my first experience with Ethiopian food I don't have anything to compare it to, and I may try some other restaurants to see how how they fare.

But I liked Dukem enough that I'd like to go back sometime, especially since it's about half the distance (about 30 minutes) from my house as the DC establishments.

Getting There
Dukem is on Maryland Avenue just north of US 40, to the south and west of the bend in the JFX (I-83). Since I was coming from the west I took US 40 (Edmondson Avenue/W. Mulberry/W. Franklin), but I'd probably use Martin Luther King Blvd or I-83 if coming from the south, while I-83 is probably the choice from the north.

Coming from I-70 is a little strange, because there is a small stub just inside the Baltimore beltway and then you have to dump off onto Cooks Lane to US 40; then after a few miles there's a stand-alone 4 mile stretch of highway in the city. 

Apparently Baltimore ran out of the political will to connect these pieces when neighborhoods objected to the highway passing through, which means there's no east-west freeway through central Baltimore. But you can drive to Cove Fort, UT from there.

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Back To 2Amys Pizza

I made it back to 2Amys Neapolitan Pizzeria in Washington DC on Saturday. I had a fairly large meal since I wanted to try several things and I had missed lunch that day.

This is a neat place because while they serve delicious gourmet pizzas, they're also very kid-friendly, as is evident from the table in the front window bay:


The Food
I had their bruschetta, a Pizza Marinara (tomato, garlic, and oregano, with added basil and artichoke hearts), and the Ripieno Extra (a stuffed pizza with ricotta, salami, prosciutto, pancetta, and tomato).

The Pizza Marinara was wonderful, with the marinated artichokes (a special of the day) providing a piquant counterpoint to the pizza, and again I loved the charred taste of the crust from the ovens.


The bruschetta was a little odd, lacking the usual garnish of chopped tomatoes, but was very good if a little pricey at $8. The sauce drizzled over it had a very strong vinegar and garlic presence.


The stuffed pizza (ripieno) was the only disappointment. While very high quality, the taste of the meats were lost in the massive, excessive amounts of ricotta cheese. I won't be getting it again.


Next Time
I'll stick with the pizzas next time and probably try a different appetizer, maybe the polpettine (meatballs); suppli al telefono; or salt cod croquettes. The stuffed pizzas weren't to my taste and I left some of the crust and ricotta unfinished.

4:30 PM was a good time to arrive, as there was no wait for a table. By 5 o'clock the place was packed.

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Brasserie Beck in Washington DC

I had lunch Thursday at Brasserie Beck, Chef Robert Wiedmaier's Belgian-French bistro in Washington DC. Wiedmaier, who has a Belgian father and American mother and grew up in Germany, also owns the French restaurant Marcel's (the restaurants are named after his sons).


The Food
Although I knew that Brasserie Beck is known for its mussels and Belgian frites, I wanted to try some dishes that were a little more unique to the restaurant.

In general Belgian food seems to be somewhat hearty, especially the dishes I chose. It was all good, but not spectacular. I think the major difference of a high-end restaurant like Brasserie Beck is in the lighter touch when it comes to salt and to the sauces.

I ordered roulade of duck confit (foie gras and duck meat formed into a roll over mashed potatoes), choucrote en crote (pork sausage and sauerkraut in puff pastry), and pear tarte tatin with cinnamon honey ice cream for dessert.


For example, the roulade was less exceptional than the sauce surrounding it, which had a delicate, slightly sweet taste reminiscent of plums. The puff pastry of the choucrote en crote was very good -- thin, light, and perfectly browned -- while the sausage reminded me of a weisswurst with its lighter flavor and consistency.


The pear tarte was probably the best dish, having a lightly caramelized syrup and fanned pear slices.


The Beer
Brasserie Beck is actually best known for its extensive 7-page book of Belgian beers. (They have their own beer sommelier, Bill Catron, who has been knighted by the Belgian Knighthood of the Brewers' Mashstaffs.)


I decided to try Gouden Carolis Noel, which is a dark beer with an intensely spicy aroma. It was too strong for my taste (and rather high alcohol at 11%). Their beers also aren't cheap, mostly ranging from $10-$15 a glass.

The Verdict
While the food at Brasserie Beck was very good, it's not enough to draw me from a distance since I think Cafe de Paris in Columbia, MD near my house is comparable in quality at roughly the same price.

If I'm nearby (Brasserie Beck is just a few blocks from Metro Center and the DC Convention Center) it might be worth another visit, especially if I'm looking for European-style cuisine.

On a final note, I wasn't sure if there was a dress code, but while most patrons were in business attire, I think that was more a function of downtown DC on a workday. I saw at least one gentleman in a sportcoat and jeans.
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The 44th President's Inauguration

A co-worker mentioned today that he was thinking of taking his sons into Washington DC to see the Presidential Inauguration on January 20th. As much as I'd like to witness such an historic event, if the estimates of up to 4 million attendees are in the right ballpark (even though there are only 240,000 formal tickets), it will be absolutely crazy downtown.

For perspective, consider these numbers:

• The resident population of DC is about 570,000.
• On a normal workday, commuters from the suburbs bring this number up to about 1 million people.
• Tourists probably add another 200,000 to 400,000 a day depending on the season.
• DC's Metro system, usually the best way to get around, only handles about 700,000 people on a normal workday.
• Washington DC and the closest counties in MD and VA have about 5 million people.

In short, the public transportation system, streets, restaurants, toilets, and all other essential services in DC are going to be overwhelmed on Inauguration Day as the normal population quadruples, even if most federal workers have the day off.

Other Considerations

January is often bitterly cold as well, if not snowbound, and they'll be closing off major sections of the city to traffic, making a normally convoluted street grid highly unpredictable.

Speaking from experience, I've been on the National Mall for the Fourth of July with an estimated crowd of 1 million, and it severely strained the capacity of the system. What's especially bad is when everyone tries to leave at the same time after the event is over.

At least the Monday preceding Inauguration Day is also a federal holiday (Martin Luther King's Birthday) which should ease congestion a little bit.

If You Decide To Go

With all of that said, there's still a part of me that would love to go, so I can understand the excitement. And nobody will really know how many attend until the day of the event so it could be a lot less.

For those who plan to make the trip, I'd highly advise that you read the Washington Post's Inauguration Watch coverage (the FAQs provide a good round-up of important information) or DC's excellent tourism information site. 

Remember that because of heightened security they'll probably not allow a lot of equipment into the Mall area.

Be forewarned though that all of the usual methods of navigating around town will likely be greatly altered by the crush of people and the new traffic patterns, so some of the information may not apply (and that includes the bathroom guide; Porta-Potties may be your friend here).

Update 1/02/09: The latest estimates call for closer to half the original numbers, but planners are preparing for the worst case eventuality. Greenbelt's Metro Station will be closed to cars so that buses can park there, and some highways will also be closed and used for charter bus parking.

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Phoenix: Country Dancing and Dining

The last couple of weeks have been pretty busy, and included a very quick trip to Phoenix, AZ. After four trips scattered over 5 years, I finally started to get a sense of how the area is laid out, especially with regard to two of my interests: food and country dancing.


The Phoenix Metropolitan Area
The Phoenix region is surprisingly large, filling a valley ("The Valley of the Sun") of about 500 square miles with over 4 million people. I never made it out to the West Valley, but have only been to the new downtown and communities in the central and eastern areas.

Moving from west to east:

• What is now Phoenix's downtown has glittering high-rises and sports stadiums, but is oddly sterile. When I visited 4 years ago no one seemed to live there and it was hard to even find a place to eat after the workday.
• The older part of central Phoenix has more of a 1950's feel to it, and is the area just north and west of the airport. This is where The Fry Bread House is situated.
• Scottsdale is a very upscale town running north-south for about 20 miles along Scottsdale Road. Historic Old Town Scottsdale has a lot of nice restaurants, hotels, and art galleries. Scottsdale is where the most interesting restaurants are located.
• Just south of Scottsdale is Tempe, the home of Arizona State University, which is a cleaned-up college town and makes for a nice stroll.
• Finally, Chandler (south and east of Tempe) was formerly an ostrich-ranching center but now is the home of a lot of high-tech companies with a lot of new suburban buildings. It's dominated by national shopping and restaurant chains.

The Quest for Food
Some eating establishments worth mentioning:

1. Cowboy Ciao (Scottsdale) was by far the most interesting restaurant I tried. Located just north of Old Town, they had a creative take on almost every dish, and while the results were mixed I appreciated the effort.


We shared small portions of their signature dish, a pan of sauteed mushrooms; braised pork belly; buffalo carpaccio; blue cheese cheesecake; and chocolate chip cookies with bacon.


The pickled cucumber salad that accompanied the pork belly was excellent, and one of the mushrooms was really good, tasting like shitake that had been placed in a tangy marinade. The cheesecake wasn't quite so successful, as the blue cheese was simply too strong, but the homemade five-spice ice cream it came with was terrific with a delicate blend of spice and sweetness.


The rhubarb soda was also...different. Very dry and slightly bitter.

It's worth going back to this restaurant just to see what they've done with other dishes; the Stetson salad with smoked salmon comes highly recommended.

2. The Fry Bread House (Phoenix) is run by the Tohono O’oadham Indian tribe. Fry Bread is basically just flour and lard, and has been blamed for obesity and other health problems on the reservations where at one time they couldn't afford much else.

But I wanted to try something distinctive to the area so I had one drizzled with honey and another with chocolate. They were interesting but not necessarily decadently good.

3. Patsy Grimaldi's (Chandler) was a slight disappointment. This is an outpost of the New York City chain that claims to have been the first pizzeria in NYC. The toppings were decent, but the crust was a little too dry and reminiscent of flatbread or crackers.


I'm probably a little spoiled after having one of Two Amy's pizzas in Washington DC last month, but Grimaldi's also wasn't too similar to the good pizzas I've had in New York.

4. My Big Fat Greek Restaurant (Chandler) was bland. This local chain has a gleaming modern building and they serve flaming saganaki cheese, but the Greek food they serve in large quantities is somewhat pedestrian.

Country Dancing in Phoenix
Unfortunately, the only night I was free to go dancing was Thursday night, which I would find is a slow night in the area. But I did talk to a couple of locals who gave me the rundown on when and where to dance.

1. Graham Central Station (Tempe) is really the only place to dance if you want to do the Texas Two-Step. Like all of the GCS locations they have several varied clubs under one roof, but the country portion, called Rocking Rodeo, features a huge wooden dance floor (about 60 x 90 feet).


There weren't too many people there that night, but I talked to a guy named Steve who kept doing the Tush Push and he said that they're much more crowded on Wednesday (Ladies Night), Friday, and Saturday. Steve also told me that Rocking Rodeo once occupied the entire club, with a dance floor about 3 times the current size.

A couple of girls warned me that they were "terrible" dancers, but after dancing a waltz and two-step with one I could see she has the potential to be very good. It's a shame that many guys leave a girl with the impression that mistakes are her fault, when 90% of the time it's all dependent on the male lead.

My experience with GCS in other locations has been pretty hit-or-miss (the alternate-format clubs take the focus off the country dancing), but it doesn't appear there's any other real option in Phoenix so I'll give it another shot the next time I'm in town.

2. Earlier that evening I went to Whiskey River Saloon (Phoenix), which is on the north side of town. The dance floor there was tiny, but there were a lot of older couples (mostly 50's and 60's) dancing there.


An older gentleman named Rich seemed to be very knowledgeable and explained some things that had been puzzling me.

Apparently, unique to the Phoenix area is a dance that they call the Arizona Two-Step, which is an adaptation of the Two-Step to very small dance floors. It has a similar rhythm, but is more of a hand dance that moves side-to-side in place.

In practice, the Arizona Two-Step looks like a cross between an East Coast Swing and what I think of as the "real" Two-Step, which in Arizona is called the Progressive (or Texas) Two-Step. (A Texas Two-Step "progresses" in a counter-clockwise circle around the dance floor, and is danced in the "closed" position, where the man cradles the lady in his right arm.)

According to Rich, the only place to do a Texas Two-Step is GCS, which is also the best place for singles. He said all of the other clubs are small like Whiskey River, mentioning a place called Roman's in Phoenix and a couple of places in Chandler.

Future Trips
So the next time I'm in Phoenix, I'll have to set aside a Wednesday or weekend night to go dancing at Graham Central Station, and go back to Cowboy Ciao for dinner.

I've also thought about going to Cafe Forte or Medizona in Scottsdale for lunch or dinner. I'd like to try Binkley's in Cave Creek but not only does it sound very expensive but reservations might be impossible to get on short notice. The Horny Toad Barbecue Restaurant in Cave Creek was also recommended to me, but it sounds like a tourist trap.

I'd also like to explore some other areas, perhaps Glendale in the West Valley or Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West in Scottsdale.

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