Tag Archives: Best Thing on the Menu

Sushi Taro: Spicy Spider

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Spicy Spider Roll

One shouldn’t shy away from the delicately crafted, uncharacteristically-fresh-for-DC sushi and sashimi at Sushi Taro, unless it’s for the Best Thing on the Menu (BTM):  the Spicy Spider Roll. Their soft shell crabs are on steroids – fat and moist and screaming straight from the sea. Other local sushi bars disguise previously-frozen, meager crustaceans with lettuce and mayo, but there is no need for such trickery at the Taro. The burst of spice and perfectly-vinegared sushi rice serve as a tasty vehicle for getting the crab to your mouth.

If you have the time and the cash, the kaiseki is also BTM worthy, but not for those on a budget, tricky food preferences or who wish to fit into their skinny jeans the next day.  To survive an evening at Sushi Taro on the cheap(er), go for happy hour at the bar Monday-Friday (5:30-7:00pm) and load on up half price sushi, including the BTM of course.

Spicy Spider not your BTM? Share your favorites in the comments section.

Estadio: Grilled Scallions

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Grilled Scallions, Romesco & Idiazabal

Estadio, a spanish tapas eatery famous for its creative slushitos (boozy slurpees) and authentic fare, is located in Logan Circle. Some have a love/hate relationship with the joint because while it is the best tapas restaurant in DC, bar none, their reservations are limited. Unless you are willing to eat pre-theatre early, you’re not getting a reservation. At least according to try after try on OpenTable.

If you are lucky enough to get a seat at your own table, the communal table or at the bar, you shouldn’t leave before you get the Best Thing on the Menu (BTM): Grilled Scallions, Romesco & Idiazabal.

These grilled to perfection leeks are located in the “Verduras” section of the menu and appear unassuming. Perhaps the “maybe we should order something green” item. However, they are not to be missed. In one of the better episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, Anthony travels to Spain and participates in Catalan’s Calçotada – a festival celebrating the harvest of calçots, known to us as scallions or leeks.

In Spain, the calçots are grilled over a flaming barbecue wrapped in newspaper, rendering them smoky and tender.  Festival goers peel away the really burnt layers, revealing tender bulbs to be dipped in Romesco sauce. Those who have seen the episode may recall him washing down the onions with copious amounts of red wine poured directly from a Porron wine pitcher.

Estadio gets so close to recreating the Calçotada all year round with the BTM. Their romesco sauce is smoky and sweet and you won’t even leave with onion breath.

Just for fun, here’s a recent article describing how to recreate Calçotada in your own backyard (even though most of us in DC don’t have a yard). We can dream.

Grilled Scallions not your BTM? Share your favorites in the comments section.