Part of what I love about ethnic eateries (you know, I’m beginning to hate the term “ethnic” in conjunction with restaurants, but I can’t come up with an umbrella term that works in its place) is the sense of being dropped into another world. To me, it’s part of the pleasure of eating at small, mom-and-pop Latino or Asian or Indian restaurants — that feeling like you have escaped your usual routine, your regular environment, for something different. It’s like overseas travel, without the add-on baggage fees.

My recent visit to Taqueria La Placita is the perfect example. The place feels untouched by American culture, which is part of the reason I adore it. Check out more photos after the jump, including one for some very tasty Mexican “chips.”

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Sometimes in the morning, when I’m not feeling loaded down with work, I like to get lost (briefly) on the way to the office. It has its benefits. You discover places you never knew about, like Rhode Island Reds Cafe on (where else?) Rhode Island Avenue in Hyattsville.

Owner Chris Brophy wasted no time making me feel like a regular. Before I could even pick up a menu, he asked if I was interested in a freshly prepared breakfast sandwich, one that would kick the crap out of the Egg McMuffin. It’s served on a multi-grain Kaiser roll, he said, and comes stuffed with steamed herbed eggs, ham, and a slice of American cheese. All that for $3, he added.

How could I turn it down?

Read More “McTrotsky Breakfast Sandwich Is Not Just for Commie Capitalists” »

Everything about Chef Geoff’s new establishment, Hank’s Tavern & Eats in Hyattsville’s University Town Center, seems designed to ease a Boomer’s pain during the economic downturn. The space is homey, almost too homey for a restaurant. It feels like a rec room with all those TVs and that easy-to-clean carpet. The music is a non-stop assault of classic rock: The Moody Blues, Neil Young, the Beatles, Foreigner, and the like. You half expect to find a Barcalounger and a used bong in the main dining room.

The menu is also built for comfort, mostly sandwiches, salads, burgers, and a few reasonably priced entrees. There’s even a 33-ounce beer stein, priced around $10, to help raise your spirits even as your stocks plummet. But the thing that really caught my eye was the side of barbecued potato chips. The kitchen makes them in house.

Read More “Hank’s Tavern Lets the Chips Fall Where They May” »