Dish City

Crispy golden filets of whiting, croaker, or catfish on white bread are sold all over the D.C. region at small carryouts. For years, fried fish businesses like Horace and Dickie’s and Fish in the Neighborhood have been pillars in their community. But, as D.C. rapidly gentrifies, classic fried fish counters have had to adapt. Ruth and Patrick learn why fried fish counters are a crucial part of D.C.’s soul food culture and what their future in this city might look like. Fill out our survey: dishcity.org/survey Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/dishcity Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/dishcity

The center of Northern Virginia’s thriving Vietnamese community is Eden Center in Falls Church. It’s the biggest Vietnamese commercial center on the east coast and draws visitors from all over the DMV region and the country. But before Eden Center, the local Vietnamese community was based in Little Saigon in Clarendon. This week, Ruth and Patrick learn the origins of Little Saigon, how the community relocated there to Eden Center, and what the local Vietnamese community’s future might hold. Patrick and Ruth will be at the Giant Barbecue Battlein Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 25. Stop by and grab some stickers and magnets! Check out music from this episode by No-No Boy, composed by Julian Saporiti and engineered by Seth Boggess. Fill out our survey: dishcity.org/survey Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/dishcity Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/dishcity

Stuffed ham: IYKYK This hyper-local delicacy from southern Maryland has been a part of life in St. Mary’s County for generations. But, unless you grew up there or have a family connection, you probably have no idea what it is. Patrick and Ruth explore what goes into a stuffed ham, its generations-old history, and how people are eating it now. Patrick and Ruth will be at the Mosaic farmer's marketin Fairfax, Va., on Sunday, June 19. Stop by and grab some stickers and magnets! Fill out our survey: dishcity.org/survey Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/dishcity Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/dishcity

D.C.’s Chinatown has all the hits. A giant archway. Dragons painted on the streets. Chinese characters in its storefronts. But…where are all the Chinese people? For all of its traditional iconography, D.C.’s Chinatown doesn’t feel very Chinese. For years, the remaining Chinese restaurants and shops have felt more like Easter eggs in the neighborhood rather than the main attraction. How did it get like this? Ruth explores the history of D.C.’s Chinese American community. Ruth and Patrick will be at the Mosaic farmer's marketin Fairfax, Va., on Sunday, June 19. Stop by and grab a sticker! Fill out our survey: dishcity.org/survey Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/dishcity Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/dishcity

Blue crabs are messy, time-consuming, and expensive to harvest and eat. And yet, no summer on the Chesapeake Bay is complete without a crab feast. Many Washingtonians are happy to set aside a couple hours, and maybe a few hundred dollars, to enjoy this meal with loved ones. But how many of us know what it takes to get crabs and crab cakes to your table? Ruth and Patrick learn how these iconic crustaceans get from the boat to your throat. Patrick will be at the Dupont Circle farmer's marketin Maryland on Sunday, June 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Stop by and grab a sticker! Fill out our survey: dishcity.org/survey Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/dishcity Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/dishcity

Old Bay is everywhere in the Chesapeake Bay region. It’s on chips, popcorn, ice cream, beer, and even chocolate. You can even find the brand tattooed on people’s bodies. But, most importantly, it’s associated with the state’s favorite food: blue crabs. Ruth and Patrick dive into Old Bay’s origin story, why people love it, and whether Old Bay is actually on your crabs. We’ll be at the Silver Spring farmer's marketin Maryland on Saturday, May 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come hang out! Like this episode? Leave a review! Fill out our survey: dishcity.org/survey Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/dishcity Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/dishcity

Asian carryouts are longtime fixtures of D.C.’s Black neighborhoods. Where else can you get a quintessential order of chicken wings and mambo sauce? Despite how loved they are by District natives and transplants, they’ve also gotten a lot of bad press. For years, Black customers have experienced racism at the hands of Asian workers. Meanwhile, Asian workers have received xenophobic attacks. Hosts Ruth and Patrick puzzle through their mixed feelings about a D.C. institution. Like this episode? Leave a review! Fill out our survey: dishcity.org/survey Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/dishcity Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/dishcity

We’re back! After covering the pandemic’s effect on food delivery and our local restaurant scene, Dish City is dining out again. Behind every iconic food of the Washington region is a story of city change. On the latest season of Dish City, join hosts Ruth Tam and Patrick Fort as they sample iconic meals from D.C., Maryland and Virginia and search for answers to questions like: Why are there so many Chinese carryouts in D.C.’s Black neighborhoods? What’s the seasoning that’s actually on your blue crabs? And…what is stuffed ham?

There are problems with food delivery. There's the reliance on gig laborers who say they are underpaid. Restaurants have to pay high commission fees on top of most orders. And delivery companies wind up operating on threadbare margins and still haven't turned an annual profit. Oh, and soggy fries. We haven't quite solved for that yet. There's plenty to vent about. But, food delivery's not going anywhere. So, on our season finale: Can food delivery be better? Read a transcript of this episode at dishcity.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcity. Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Email us your favorite delivery order at dishcity@wamu.org.

"Quick sign up! Flexible hours! Be your own boss!" The perks of gig work are well-known, but do they actually reflect the reality of drivers working for food delivery apps? Patrick and Ruth try driving for DoorDash to find out. Plus, they interview three drivers in D.C., Seattle, and Denton, Texas, to see how gig workers are fighting for better working conditions. Read a transcript of this episode at dishcity.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcity. Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Email us your favorite delivery order at dishcity@wamu.org.

DoorDash started a decade after its competitors, but now controls half of the food delivery market in the U.S. What can we learn from the very first order its founders delivered? And how did all these third-party platforms reshape the way we think of food delivery? Ruth and Patrick explore the origins of DoorDash and examine whether the "magic wand" it built for restaurateurs is working. Note: This episode has been updated to reflect DoorDash and Uber Eats' current policy regarding listing restaurants on their platforms. Read a transcript of this episode at dishcity.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcity. Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Email us your favorite delivery order at dishcity@wamu.org.

In the '60s, delivering pizzas meant wrapping hot pies in a blanket or driving them to customers over open flames. With those humble (and, uh, life-threatening) beginnings, how did we get to the quick and easy delivery everyone knows and loves today? From heatproof bags to rotating ovens, Patrick Fort and Ruth Tam investigate how 'big pizza' changed the delivery game forever. Read a transcript of this episode at dishcity.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcity. Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Email us your favorite delivery order at dishcity@wamu.org.

On a cold November night in 1976, a New York City restaurateur named Misa Chang started sliding delivery menus under her neighbors’ doors for her Chinese restaurant in Manhattan. Chang wasn’t the first to offer delivery, but when delivery gained traction in U.S. cities, Chinese restaurants were often the first to do it. As dishes like chop suey and General Tso's chicken became part of American food culture, Americans’ feelings toward the Chinese Americans who made the food (and delivered it) remained stuck in the past. And now, as demand for delivery increases, many American Chinese restaurants are closing. Is delivery the key to survival? Read a transcript of this episode at dishcity.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcity. Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Email us your favorite delivery order at dishcity@wamu.org.

When you really think about it, delivering food from restaurants to homes is kind of strange. Nothing about the process saves money and it doesn't make the food taste any better! And yet, platforms like DoorDash and Grubhub doubled their revenue during the pandemic. So, what's the history of this weird system? Welcome to the latest season of Dish City, where we unwrap the past, present and future of delivery. Read a transcript of this episode at dishcity.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcity. Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Email us your favorite delivery order at dishcity@wamu.org.

On a new season of Dish City, hosts Patrick Fort and Ruth Tam discover how food delivery became normal in America and ponder if it actually benefits restaurants, couriers and diners during the pandemic.

Most people who contract coronavirus recover, but we still don't know much about the lingering side effects – including the loss of taste and smell. Patrick talks with a local foodie who survived the virus but hasn't fully regained his ability to taste and smell. We're taking a break, but send us your thoughts and ideas for episodes here: dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Theme music by Daniel Peterschmidt

As Game of Thrones nerds can tell you, "winter is coming" is more than a seasonal weather forecast –it's a warning. With that in mind, what are local restaurants with outdoor dining doing to prepare for the harshest season? And, given the limits in federal and local coronavirus financial relief, what do they actually have control over? Ruth and Patrick follow a restaurant and brewery owner's preparations –and their state of mind– as we count the days towards the cold. dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Support the show at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

What does the future hold for restaurants? To predict what a restaurant in 2022 will look like, Patrick and Ruth time travel to see what lessons we can learn from previous pandemics.  dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Now that fall is here, Patrick is enjoying his cozy flannel shirts and crisp pumpkin beers. But for Ruth, entering this season is bittersweet. Cultural holidays like the Mid-Autumn Festival are normally comforting this time of year. But for Asians who observe this harvest celebration, there's no easy way to safely gather and eat traditional mooncakes during a pandemic. To get some perspective on family food traditions and what they offer us this season, Ruth turns to D.C. resident Suzanne Nuyen, the creator of Vietnamese food blog, Bun Bo Bae. Suzanne's blog Bun Bo Bae: bunbobae.com dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Dish City is made possible by listeners like you! Donate at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

As bars and restaurants in the Washington region continue to reopen, diners are flocking back looking for a sense of normalcy. For Patrick, the decision to dine out is a lot more complicated than it was pre-pandemic. In his attempt to find a safe way to dine, he learns how others are making that decision and gets advice from local restaurateurs, government regulators and his co-host Ruth. dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Dish City depends on the support of listeners like you! Donate at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

When Eighteenth Street Lounge closed permanently in June 2020, Washingtonians mourned the "end of an era." Ruth and Patrick look back on the nightclub's 25-year legacy, its mark on the underground music scene and the ways D.C.'s nightlife scene has changed since it opened. Listen to music inspired by Eighteenth Street Lounge on Spotify: https://sptfy.com/dzNE dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Support Dish City at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Rent is due in a week! And restaurants are still struggling to make it through the pandemic. If they don’t renegotiate their leases, restaurants and bars won’t survive. But, landlords are hurting too. Patrick and Ruth continue their exploration of negotiating rent during coronavirus with real estate experts, and the owners of Sloppy Mama’s Barbecue and Pupatella. Plus: An update on Burmese restaurant Thamee and their rent negotiations. Note: This episode is Part 2 of a series on paying the rent. Listen to Part 1 wherever you get your podcasts. dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Even before the pandemic, restaurants struggled to pay rent. And now, whether they're starting to re-open, only doing takeout or remaining closed...they still owe rent! Patrick and Ruth take a look at one restaurant's challenges, and their attempt to negotiate with their landlord. Note: This episode is Part 1 of a series on paying the rent. Listen to Part 2 wherever you get your podcasts! dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Photo Illustration by Ruth Tam, Photo by Patrick Ryan / DCist Dish City depends on the generosity of listeners like you! Donate at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, D.C. has been gripped in protest for five days straight. As demonstrations intensify, local food businesses downtown have been broken into and burned. This isn't the first time Washingtonians have protested the loss of black life, and it's not the first time restaurants have witnessed it. Ruth and Patrick revisit a conversation with Virginia Ali, who cofounded Ben's Chili Bowl and witnessed the 1968 protests that destroyed her neighborhood. Virginia Ali shares the origin story of Ben’s, why her business stayed open through the protests and how they survived the years that followed. Music and archival audio in this episode included "Dancing In The Street" by Martha Reeves & Vandellas and an excerpt from the documentary "King Is Dead." Read a transcript. dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Support Dish City at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Ethiopian cuisine is a D.C. mainstay, so when Ruth and Patrick taste "fast-casual Ethiopian" at Union Market, they have questions. What does it mean when a chef tries to put a new spin on dishes that are thousands of years old? We visit a family restaurant that's sticking to tradition, talk to a chef who tried to make the "Rasika of Ethiopian food," and collect some scorching hot takes from perhaps the best-known Ethiopian chef out there, Marcus Samuelsson. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcity. Dish City depends on the generosity of listeners like you! Donate at wamu.org/supportdishcity. If you’re based in the D.C. area, we host meetups to discuss our latest episode on Tuesday evenings at local bars and restaurants. You can find out more at our website, dishcity.org. Our theme music is by Daniel Peterschmidt.

The half-smoke is the first food that comes to mind when we think about D.C.'s "iconic" foods. But when Ruth and Patrick take a trip to Ben's Chili Bowl, which made the half-smoke famous, Ruth orders a hot dog by mistake and realizes she doesn't really know what a half-smoke is. We take a trip to a sausage factory, hop back in time to 1958 when Ben's Chili Bowl opened and foray into the struggle playing out between old and new D.C. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Dish City depends on the generosity of listeners like you! Donate at wamu.org/supportdishcity. If you're based in the D.C. area, we host meetups on Tuesday evenings at bars and restaurants around town. You can find out more at our website, dishcity.org. Our theme music is by Daniel Peterschmidt. Other music in this episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and Pierce Murphy.

A new podcast from WAMU asks what we can learn about Washington, D.C. through its iconic foods. Hosts Patrick Fort and Ruth Tam trek around the city and meet the people eating, making, and fighting for the city's staples. New episodes on Thursdays starting September 12th.

No surprises to anyone listening: Dish City has had to pivot. But, it's nothing compared to what local restaurant owners and workers are dealing with. On week 11 of working from home, Patrick and Ruth turn to the owners of Compass Coffee and Hank's Oyster Bar to see how they made decisions during some of the most intense weeks of their lives. Then, they talk to two Washingtonians –a bartender and a Muslim community leader– about how they've each changed their approach to food service during the pandemic. dishcity@wamu.org Read a transcript. Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Before the pandemic, getting takeout or going to the grocery store didn't seem too complicated. Now, the coronavirus is revealing new challenges, as well as old vulnerabilities. With the help of restaurant owners, grocery workers and small farmers, Patrick and Ruth navigate the moral minefield that is getting food during a pandemic. dishcity@wamu.org Read a transcript of this episode. Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Stopping by the corner store for an extra onion or a last-minute bottle of wine is just not going to cut it anymore. Many of us are quarantined or sheltering-in-place with fewer food options. So, how are Patrick and Ruth making the most with what they have? They talk to Charles Duan and Jenny Gao, two creative home cooks who never let any ingredient go to waste. Also, they chat with Derek Brown about his Twitter mission to write people custom cocktail recipes, and his suggestions for enjoying them mindfully. Read a transcript. Jenny and Charles' Bolognese, aka "The Godfather Sauce" This won't be your traditional recipe, but follow your instincts like Jenny and Charles do! Brown pork shoulder in cast iron skillet and add to pressure cooker. Cook onions, garlic, veggies from freezer like carrots and celery in a pan until soft, and add to pressure cooker. Add optional vodka to pressure cooker. Season with thyme, oregano, rosemary, clove, star anise, all spice, and a bit of beef bouillon. Add canned tomatoes to pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 1 hour. Served with regular or edamame pasta with Parmesan on top! Derek Brown's "The Getaway" Cocktail Spirited (1 serving) 1 oz. Cruzan Black Strap Rum 1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice 1/2 oz. Cynar 1/2 oz. Rich Simple Syrup (2 parts sugar, 1 part water) Shake, strain into chilled coupe. Makes one serving. Spirit-Free (1 serving) 2 oz. Chinnotto Syrup 1 oz. Lemon ½ oz. Maple Shrub ½ oz. Aquafaba 3 dashes Salt Tincture Shake, strain into chilled coupe. Here's the Bon Appétit recipe for cake doughnuts Patrick tried and the Serious Eats recipe for scallion pancakes Ruth tried. Support Dish City and local audio journalism by donating at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Ruth and Patrick are setting aside their original plans for Dish City Season 2. For the foreseeable future, Dish City will cover the coronavirus pandemic's affect on the D.C. area's local food systems. Here's a sneak peek of what you can expect every other Thursday. dishcity@wamu.org Twitter: @dishcity Instagram: @dishcity

Surprise! It's a special Thanksgiving episode of Dish City. Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays with a set dinner menu. Despite the obvious dishes, families and friends all over D.C. put their own spin on tradition every year. Patrick and Ruth interview one Washingtonian who tried to make last year's Thanksgiving the most D.C. Thanksgiving ever. Plus: Patrick and Ruth get into the kitchen and cook together for the first time. Recipes: dishcity.org/thanksgiving Twitter: twitter.com/dishcity Instagram: @dishcity Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

From high-powered creatives and business executives in New York, to lawyers and politicians in D.C., the power lunch has long been a staple for the wealthy and powerful. And the classic steakhouse has always been the quintessential setting for these meals. But as more and more young people move to D.C., do power lunches still hold the cachet they once did? And, despite being known as a "steakhouse town" for decades, are D.C.'s steaks still the ultimate "power lunch"? Ruth and Patrick explore the local lunch scene to see if what you eat in the middle of the day indicates how powerful you might be in D.C. --- Please fill out our survey (dishcity.org/survey) so we can get a better sense of what you want most out of future episodes and events! Meet us at Hawk 'n' Dove on Capitol Hill, October 29, from 6-8 p.m. to discuss this episode and more. Details: dishcity.org/sidedish Twitter & Instagram: @dishcity Email: dishcity@wamu.org Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Theme music by Daniel Peterschmidt

D.C. has historically been part of the American South. But as D.C.'s population has grown and diversified, its obvious ties to the South are starting to fade. Patrick and Ruth dine at the Florida Avenue Grill and Succotash, and take a detour through local football history, to learn what D.C.'s Southern and Soul Food restaurants tell us about our regional roots. Meet us at Busboys & Poets in Anacostia, October 22, from 6-8 p.m. to discuss this episode and more! Details: dishcity.org/sidedish Twitter & Instagram: @dishcity Email: dishcity@wamu.org Theme music by Daniel Peterschmidt. Dish City depends on the generosity of listeners like you! Donate at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

The pupusa is one of the most recognizable dishes in El Salvador and one of the most delicious street foods in the world. It's loved locally and yet restaurants that serve and celebrate just Salvadoran food seem underrepresented in the District. Ruth and Patrick sample local Salvadoran Mexican cuisine from Audi Field, El Tamarindo and Gloria's Pupuseria to figure out how lesser-known immigrant cuisines distinguish themselves in D.C. Meet us at Reliable Tavern, October 15, from 6-8 p.m. to discuss this episode and more! Details: dishcity.org/sidedish Twitter & Instagram: @dishcity Email: dishcity@wamu.org Theme music by Daniel Peterschmidt. Additional music by Xenia Rubinos. Support our work by donating at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Washingtonians have been pouring blood red, sticky-sweet mumbo sauce over chicken wings and fries for decades. That's why, when the D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said it "annoyed" her and hadn't heard of the sauce until she was an adult, she caused an uproar. What would it mean if mumbo sauce wasn’t even from D.C.? We trace the mysterious origins of D.C.'s choice condiment and consider what it takes to stake a claim on a dish: history or pride? Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcity. Join us for our Tuesday meetups to discuss our most recent episode. Details about our next event are at dishcity.org/sidedish. Theme music is by Daniel Peterschmidt. Leave us a tip at wamu.org/supportdishcity.

Jumbo slice is divisive. A single, floppy slice is longer than most diners' forearms. While it's a favorite among late night partiers, especially in Adams Morgan, it's often derided as "drunk food" and has historically been blamed for all the fights and litter on 18th street on weekends. Ruth and Patrick call on pizza experts near and far to understand why jumbo slice has stood the test of time -- and why it's so beloved. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @dishcity. Dish City depends on the generosity of listeners like you! Donate at wamu.org/supportdishcity. Join us for our Tuesday meetups to discuss our most recent episode. Details about our next event are at dishcity.org/sidedish. Theme music is by Daniel Peterschmidt. Additional music in this episode is by Vitamin Tramp and Blue Dot Sessions.