Hit Me With Your Best Spot!

I know I have been pouring on the hockey references lately, but what can I say? I love the sport, so just bear with me. In a way, I liken life to the playoffs: you win some, you lose some. You can do as much preparation as you can, but sometimes plans just fall apart. This past Saturday was yet another busy day for me. I had errands to run, work to do, restaurants to review, and a couple of parties to go to, so I had to put my time management skills into overtime. I started my day early but I still didn’t get home until around 5 o’clock. As soon as my head hit the pillow… zzzzz! I was planning on just a 30 minute power nap, since I planned on going to Party #1 around 7 o’clock and hanging out for about hour. I must have been pretty tired, because when I woke up, it was close to 8 o’clock already (sorry I was a no-show, Road Runner!). Party #2 wasn’t until much later, but Dibby and I wanted to hang around Adams Morgan for a little bit, so we cabbed over and walked around.

I knew that the Canucks were playing the Kings and I wanted to watch the game, so I suggested going to Ventnor’s Sports Café for a quickie drink. In homage to my homeland, I got a Labatt Blue and Dibby ordered her Vodka and grapefruit. For a sports bar, we were impressed that Ventnor’s would even stock grapefruit, but lucky for Dibbs, they did. We did get the explanation. Scott, one of the barhands, told us he bought a crate of grapefruits, thinking they were oranges. Now they’re sitting in the stockroom, waiting for someone to give them love. Grapefruits, meet Dibby. Dibby, meet grapefruits. We sat at the bar, munched on the complimentary pretzel & mustard snack, and watched as the Kings score goal after goal. Cue to leave!

After a long, but fun-filled night at District with the crew, my friend B’more wanted to continue our serious discussion about Baltimore vs. DC living, Whistler skiing, hockey playoffs, Connecticut, and steroid monkeys over some food. In Adams Morgan, it is customary to go to Jumbo Slice, but we wanted something else. After a short walk, we found Shawarma Spot. Now, I was just in Adams Morgan a couple times this past month and have never noticed this place. Either it just opened, or I was in my own little world when I walked past it. We went in, and the place was spotless! Counters were clean and wiped down, no vomit on the floor, and no drunks passed out on the tables. B’more and I both got the Beef Shawarma, and to my delight, we got o pick the fixings that go inside. I like simple, so I just went with the cucumber salad and tzatziki.

I was famished so I just went for it. The bread, like a puffed-up pita, was light and nicely toasted. The cucumber salad offered that variance in texture to the super tender beef, which there was plenty of. The tzatziki was tangy with a hint of garlic, but not overpowering. After that first bite, Shawarma Spot surpassed Jumbo Slice as the après-club place to go to in Adams Morgan. Party #1 and the hockey game may have both been a loss, but I definitely won with Shawarma Spot. Oh, and B’more: DC is better, Whistler is great in the winter *and* summer, the Canucks rule, Connecticut is too cold, and steroid monkeys look absolutely ridiculous!

Ventnor Sports Cafe
2411 18th Street NW
Washington, DC   20009
202.234.3070


Shawarma Spot
2418 18th Street NW
Washington, DC   20009
202.332.3797