What I ate around D.C. this week
Featuring a Cuban pork feast, a reunion with étouffée, and a boozy slushie.
In this recurring series, we’ll tap a plugged-in local to take us on a D.C. tour de food (or arts). For our inaugural column, D.C. food writer and content creator Cornelia Poku cataloged a week of eating focused on familiarity, comfort, and friends.
At the beginning of the week, a content creator friend of mine (it pays to have friends in high places) invited me to dinner at Cuba Libre in Gallery Place, where we were treated to an immaculate multi-course meal to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. After a couple of margaritas, we downed their Cuban pork feast — pork cooked three ways. We had guava barbecue ribs, glazed grilled pork belly, and slow-roasted pork shoulder, all served with rice, beans, and sweet fried plantains. (Until Oct 15, any order of the Cuban pork feast comes with a free dessert.) We were absolutely stuffed.
Later in the week, I made my way to Cotton and Reed near Union Market for a friend’s birthday. To avoid drinking on an empty stomach, I walked to the Puddin’ stand in the Union Market food hall and ordered myself a bowl of etouffee for $15. I hadn’t been to Puddin’ in years, so it felt right to finally stop in again. A bowl of creamy, spicy, fishy sauce served over rice is a difficult dish to come upon in D.C., but it was exactly what I needed. When I eventually made it to Cotton and Reed, I tried their Cocomotion, $14 — a slushie rum cocktail the same shade of pale green as a matcha latte. The first sip tasted like coconut blended with grassy herbs, and I immediately got a brain freeze. Sipping on such a pungent plant flavor took some getting used to, but I ended up loving it.
On Saturday, I ate some leftover pork shoulder for breakfast and made it to the H Street Festival in time for lunch. I spent $12 at a taco stand that certainly left something to be desired, but the warm, crispy empanadas for $5 each that I had later at Tigo’s Peruvian and Mexican Grill definitely made up for it. After spotting a few people with elaborate drinks layered with fruits, my friend and I finally asked a woman where she got her drink. She pointed to Tamo’s Smoothie Truck. We stood in line for about 45 minutes, but we finally got the drinks. The icy, sugary drink (which melted really quickly) was more like a slushie than a proper smoothie, but at just $10 for 16 ounces, I wasn’t upset – it was ultimately a relief on a hot day that signaled the end of summer.
