Girl Meets Food

The last time I encountered fish with an attitude was when I was living in Las Vegas. Vegas was enjoying its triumphant return from failed family vacation spot to burgeoning food mecca, and I was there to happily partake in its victory.

From finding bible verses on my fries at In-N-Out Burger to dining with Kerry Simon, to balking at a menu with no prices at a shuttered Renoir, I experienced it all.

Photo: Sushi Rock

World-renowned Nobu Matsuhisa was serving up his critically acclaimed sushi at the Hard Rock Hotel, which was overflowing with celebrities.

Because the Hard Rock is that cool.

One night, I was having dinner at Nobu with friends when one of their dates, a Vegas beauty in every sense of the word, frowned in dismay.

“The tomatoes [on the bruschetta] are bad!” she cried in a soft, squeaky voice.

Only it wasn’t bruschetta. And they weren’t tomatoes. (As a side note, the spicy miso lotus chips with big-eye tuna is delicious.)

So seven years later, I cross paths again with sushi that likes to party. Where cutaway guitars meet cuts of fresh fish, where Madonna is a geisha in Jean-Paul Gaultier. Nobu it is not, but Sushi Rock in Arlington is a wallflower who tries. It is not Penny Lane, but her friend with the okay body.

Dream On and Voodoo Child rolls

Among a menu of toro, miso lemon seabass and skirt steak, you will find specialty rolls that are as visionary as the songs they’re named after. But that’s where the vision ends.

The Dream On cradles fine, crisp, smoky bacon with bright red, cool, crunchy kimchi, smothered in a creamy sundried tomato aioli. More interesting than delectable, more bold than necessary, it is like a shaky slap from Ike Turner.

The Voodoo Child is a nice contrast though, with mildly spicy lobster salad, soft on the tongue, with the delightfully crunchy pop of tobiko and cucumbers.

The underdog salmon avocado was surprisingly the best roll I had, with large, glossy chunks of sweet salmon, and creamy, smooth avocado. For the happy hour price of $4, it’s a great value. The specialty rolls at the full price of $10 each, are not.

Expertly-mixed cocktails, ranging from $8-$10, might give you the satisfaction you’re trying to get. The Purple Haze with iced tea vodka, blueberry, lemon and raspberry envelopes you in tart berry flavors. The White Rabbit is lucid and sharp with gin, cucumbers, black pepper, and sake.

Find a small selection of Japanese beers like Kirin, Sapporo and Asahi, as well as American beers, wine and a full bar. Happy hour is live Monday through Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., but only offers a limited selection of rolls and cocktails for $1-$2 less.

Sushi Rock does have a indoor loft great for private parties, and a spacious outdoor patio for lounging with a cool drink under the shade of the high-rise building it occupies.

The quality of Sushi Rock’s food does not justify its prices, and because of the lack of shake for my moneymaker, I won’t say that I’m a fan. But if the tickets are half-price, I might come out for a show.

Sushi Rock
1900 Clarendon Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
571.312.8027

Open Sunday through Thursday 5 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Friday, Saturday 5p.m. – 2 a.m.

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When asked about New York Hot Dog & Coffee’s kimchi hot dogs, Tom Brown replied that his brother Derek had been making kimchi hot dogs for years before someone in New York stole the idea.

Photo: Bryan Applegate

At The Passenger in U Street/Shaw, the kimchi hot dogs are different anyway, so don’t worry, Derek.

The Brown brothers, formerly of acclaimed places like Citronelle, Cork, and The Gibson, are known for their mixology skills, and offer personalized cocktails based on a customer’s tastes.

I was open to the idea and asked for something “sweet, fruity, but not syrupy.”  After three tries, I realized words are subjective.

The first martini wasn’t sweet at all.  The second martini was called the Aviator, and was sweet but bitter.  The third martini was finally what I wanted, but I’ll never be able to ask for it again.  Call me Goldilocks and the Three Beers, because that’s what I’ll be ordering next time.

No matter, I was at The Passenger to check out the food.  The kimchi dog, specifically.  The Passenger offers a very limited menu of bar snacks like Spanish olives, almonds and Route 11 potato chips.

Photo: Bryan Applegate

More substantial offerings include half-smokes, paninis and the controversial kimchi hot dog.  This grilled all-beef frank tastes more savory than sweet, almost like bratwurst.

It sat atop a soft bun, drizzled with nacho cheese and a generous helping of mildly spicy kimchi.

Having tried another version of this dish, I found the vinegary kimchi didn’t blend well with the nacho cheese.  New York Hot Dog & Coffee’s kimchi hot dogs had the sweetness of bulgogi, the coolness of romaine lettuce to offset the spiciness of the kimchi, and the snap of a springy frank.

The Columbia Room, a “cocktail club and laboratory bar,” is in the back of The Passenger.  Fashioned like an 1800’s-style dining car, and can be reserved for private parties.  This 20-seat space will be the site for cocktail tastings and mixology courses.  Now, that sounds like fun!

The Passenger
1021 7th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 393-0220

You want something new?  Something you’ve never eaten before?  Don’t worry, I know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy.

New York Hot Dog & Coffee, a Korean franchise, tops their dogs with traditional favorites such as dak-kalbi and bulgogi.  Could two of my greatest loves coexist happily on a bun?  I had to investigate.

My Kimchi Bulgogi Hot Dog arrived on a soft, warm bun, piled high with finely sliced beef, marinated with sweet soy sauce and spices, chopped kimchi and a cool fan of romaine lettuce.  I added a drink and a side of fries for a total of $8.50.

The juicy, meaty dog had a nice snap to it, the bulgogi light in texture, the kimchi not too spicy or tart.  Overall, the combination was out of this world!

The fries remind me of Burger King fries—battered and crisp.  My only wish was that the order was bigger.

They also offer soft bulgogi tacos, wraps, chicken, and soy dogs for those who don’t want red meat.

I admire their innovation to combine two seemingly opposite foods to create a culinary sensation.

What would you put on a dog?