Capitol Hill Food Tour

By Jon Thorpe

A group of hungry strangers met in Eastern Market Saturday October 28th for a tour around the area to learn more about DC history, and more importantly, to have a chance to eat at some of the more “hole in the wall” restaurants. I had the pleasure of going on the tour as well, and enjoyed every moment. It was led by Natalie Kaftan, new to DC after moving here from Wisconsin 7 months ago. New as she was to the area, she definitely knew where to go in town for delicious food.

Our first stop on the tour led us to the Capitol Hill Tandor & Grill Café. While there we enjoyed a delicious Mulligatawny soup to start followed by a main course of Chicken Jalfrezi, a dish that can be found in most tandor restaurants. The dish consists of a side of rice, naan, and a chicken vegetable medley smothered in a delicious red spicy sauce. Needless to say, I had the water cup handy and really enjoyed the food here.

Next up was La Placitas for some traditional Salvadorean cuisine. Here, we enjoyed a plate roasted pork with a side of yucca, plantains, and refried beans. This was my favorite stop on the tour since I LOVE Salvadorean food and the atmosphere was very relaxed and friendly.

We then wound up at Levi’s Port Café for some good old fashioned, homemade soul food. We all enjoyed fresh homemade food like collard greens, mac & cheese, and sweet potatoes. For the main dish, we had a delicious North Carolina BBQ sandwich. Restaurant Owner Johnny said “If you can find better soul food anywhere in the city, let me know and you can eat here free for a year." We all had a good laugh, and after tasting the food, knew no one would be taking him up on his offer anytime soon.

Finally the tour brought us to the Fine Sweet Shoppe, for a traditional Jewish pastry: Chocolate Rugala. A small pastry made with fresh butter and cream cheese, or in our case, chocolate. It was the perfect way to end the day.

Overall the tour was great! I learned a lot more about the city I live in and had a delicious time doing so. For more information or to set up a tour for you and your friends, contact Jeff Swedarsky at www.dcmetrofoodtours.com.

When: Wednesdays-Saturdays between 2:00 and 5:30 pm
Where: Meets near Eastern Market Metro (The exact meeting location will be provided upon ticket purchase)
How long: The food tour will last approximately 3-3.5 hours
Who: All age groups and fitness levels are encouraged to take the tour
How much: $50 per adult ticket (plus a $2 ticketing fee). We will be sitting for all dishes.
What to wear: Comfortable clothing and shoes
What is included: All food and drinks are included in the tour.
Weather conditions: Food tours will take place rain or shine- tours may be rescheduled based on severe conditions