Tag Archives: bbq

Food and Drink, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Willard’s BBQ

Willard's

“You just can’t get barbecue up here like you can down there,” I used to tell all my friends back home in North Carolina. That was before I met Willard’s. Way, way the hell out there in the suburbs near Dulles, Willard’s BBQ is what happens when Lexington, North Carolina transports itself right to Virginia. And for a Carolina Girl, that means Willard’s tastes just like home.

Ya’ll, they’ve got the pulled pork. They have the ribs, the brisket, the chicken, the catfish. Everything you’ve been craving, Willard’s has it all. And lord, is it done right. Continue reading →

Food and Drink
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Nationals Park Adds New Food Options

All photos courtesy of the author

Although Nationals Park already features a number of iconic Washington-area restaurants, such as Ben’s Chili Bowl and Hard Times Cafe, the Nationals partnered with New York City’s Union Square Hospitality Group to bring in four new dining options: Blue Smoke BBQ, Box Frites, El Verano Taqueria, and Shake Shack (which also just opened a brick-and-mortar location near Dupont Circle to much fanfare).
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Food and Drink, The Features
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First Look: PORCmobile

Photo courtesy of
‘PORC Mobile’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

I can’t yet claim to be a BBQ expert. But I do know good food, and I have tried many a food truck. For your next lunch stop at the food trucks, I suggest you briskly head out for some brisket and try the PORC Mobile.

Back in the summer, We Love DC reported on the Purveyors of Rolling Cuisine (aka PORC Mobile) and their gradual start to get rolling in an environmentally friendly manner. At long last, they’re out on the streets purveying what I would call one of the tastiest pulled pork sandwiches I’ve had.
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The Features, The Great Outdoors, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: Memorial Day BBQ

Photo courtesy of
‘Beer and burger’
courtesy of ‘Magnus D’

I hope that you’ll grill this weekend. To me, that’s what Memorial Day is all about. I don’t dream of stepping on any family tradition or intruding in any masculine domain by suggesting what you should grill and how you should grill it. That’s counter productive, in my mind. Besides, I’m no grill master, myself. I’ll leave that to better and braver souls. I want to talk to you about what you should drink this weekend. It’s easy just to run out to the grocery and pick up a 12 pack of Bud Light and some cheap white wine for your Memorial Day bar-b-que. In fact, that’s probably what most of America will do on Monday, but most of America won’t enjoy their tasty beverage nearly as much as you will, oh informed reader that follows my advice. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Special Events, The DC 100, The Features
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DC Omnivore 100: #19 Steamed Pork Buns

Photo courtesy of
’04 Small Steamed Pork Buns’
courtesy of ‘jasonlam’

It’s time for another item on the DC Omnivore 100 list of the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives.

In the spirit of the recent Chinese Lunar New Year and the Year of the Tiger celebrations, let’s explore the sweet, doughy, BBQ-esque goodness of steamed pork buns. In China, these roll sized delights are regularly consumed street cart food and are also a staple of the traditional Chinese family gathering of dim sum.

The bun’s exterior and its steaming bamboo container might have you thinking that this is just another dumpling. And while you’d be right, this is a dumpling, the steamed pork bun offers a sticky, rich, doughy and savory experience that starkly differs from the clean and fresh taste of shumai and the nutty flavorings of potstickers. Continue reading →

Special Events, The Daily Feed
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TEP & Ben’s Chili Bowl Fundraiser TODAY!!!

Photo courtesy of

‘Summer = Grill = Hotdogs!’

courtesy of ‘TheBusyBrain’

I know it’s last minute on a Sunday, but if you’re in the mood for some half-smokes, beer and good company, all in the name of raising funds for The Equity Project (TEP) Charter School, this gathering is for you. DC’s very own Ben’s Chili Bowl is sponsoring the event and generously providing half smokes, chili, cheese, the works. There will also be vegetarian options and other delights.

Suggested donation: $20. Brokeass? Throw us $5 or a six pack and they’ll call it even. The party is being hosted by TEP Capital Campaign Board members, who are raising funds for a facility, since charter schools are not provided an actual building.

Location: 605 Q Street NW, (2 blocks from Howard/Shaw metro stop)

Time: 6-9pm Continue reading →

Featured Photo, Life in the Capital, The District
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Featured Photo

20080713L1000014 by furcafe

‘Tis the season for barbecuing, the time to gather up your friends and family, fire up the coals, and throw down some of your favorite meats and vegetables. It’s also a great opportunity to toss back a few cans of beer or your favorite blueberry drink of choice. But be careful, DC. When you mix an open fire pit with alcohol consumption, you may very well set the neighborhood on fire.

This brings up a good question. Last year it was discovered that at least 25% of DC’s fire hydrants were out of order. So what state are our hydrants in now? Have they all been fixed? Are we down to 5%? I know the hydrant across the street from my house still has an “out of service” collar on it which is not exactly a comforting feeling. I have to say, from the Georgetown Library fire to the recent one in Mount Pleasant, DC should also be known as the “fire capital” of the United States.

Photographer Chris Chen (furcafe), an omnipresent “man on the scene”, did a great job of capturing the spirit of a backyard barbecue in this shot. While you’ll normally see him with a film camera strapped around his neck (and please note that I have never seen Chris without a camera), this photo was captured using his digital Leica M8.