Blogs and Stories
First Food Critics
Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images
Move over, Zagat. The new force on the dining scene is Michelle and Barack, whose date night took them to a low-key West Village restaurant yesterday. Sandra McElwaine on what the First Foodies like to eat.
Since moving into the White House four months ago, Michelle and Barack Obama have made one thing crystal clear: They have no intention of staying home. Not even in those luxurious digs. As devotees of good food and fine wine, they have decided to shake up the conventional Washington scene by stepping out, having fun—going out on the town. And not to traditional boring embassy functions or the well-appointed homes of desperate hostesses either. The Obamas are genuinely enjoying city life, corralling friends for impromptu forays at an eclectic mix of D.C. restaurants—cutting a wide swath from downtown to the Capitol and DuPont Circle, to Georgetown and even Arlington, Virginia—leaving a gaggle of starstruck proprietors and fellow diners in their glossy wake. (Quite unlike the Bushes, who preferred to hunker down with Tex-Mex inside the confines of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.)
In fact, just this Friday, Obama decided to flee what Harry Truman always referred to as "the great white jail" while filming a news special with NBC anchor Brian Williams. They took off for a Five Guys in South East, where the president dug into a cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, jalapeno pepper, and mustard. Granted, this penchant for getting around is not new. Both the president and Michelle were regulars on the swanky dining scene back home in Chicago—Obama proposed over dessert at Gordon’s (now Naha), one of the chicest watering holes in the Windy City. Both are known to enjoy a wide range of cookery: from artery-blocking hamburgers and fries to Creole and Cajun creations to Southern fare to elegant French haute cuisine.
Click Below to Watch Video
Whether out for date night or lunch with chums, the restaurant-hopping first couple exude a heady sense of glamour and excitement. Every maitre'd and restaurateur is hoping for a drop-by: After all, the Obama food chain means big bucks. Take Michel Richard’s award-winning but pricey Citronelle in Georgetown (dinner for two with wine can hover around $300). It was packed when it opened 15 years ago, but had recently become somewhat lackluster in both food and service. You could walk in and get a last-minute reservation on almost any evening—that is, until the Obamas arrived a few weeks ago. Now for weekends, reservations are required eight weeks in advance; for weeknights, better book one to two weeks ahead.
Of course, it’s impossible to predict when and where they will show up. It’s kind of now you see them, now you don’t. There is little or no advance warning. Although the White House called Citronelle to make a reservation, no one knew it was for the Obamas until a phalanx of Secret Service officers zoomed in to check out the premises, blocking off part of M Street about an hour ahead of their arrival. Once seated (in a semi-private room), Michelle and the president indulged in straight-up martinis garnished with olives and soft-shell crab tempura. When Michelle requested a lobster burger not on the menu, Chef Richard quickly obliged: “It was impossible to refuse the queen of this country,” he explained. The commander in chief opted for 72-hour-aged beef and a single fry. Both ended their meal with crème brûlée, left a 20 percent tip, then headed home for that romantic hand-in-hand stroll around the White House grounds.
The decidedly cheaper and more low-key Ray’s Hell Burger in Arlington, Virginia, is still another eatery to attain star status thanks to Obama—ever since he and Vice President Biden sped across the river to make a noon-time pitstop. Located on an obscure shopping strip with no sign (but a long line out front), it is famous with the locals for its no-frills décor and succulent 10 oz. burgers. Needless to say, things have changed since the president stood in that line to order a basic cheddar cheeseburger medium-well, with lettuce and tomato and then asked for fries and Dijon mustard. Neither were available. Now there is a sign inside warning, “due to media exposure, the wait may be a little longer than normal.” Count on 20-30 minutes at lunch time on weekdays. As for weekends, who knows?
Back in D.C. proper, Obama raised fast-foodie eyes when he waited at the counter at Washington landmark and tourist haven Ben’s Chili Bowl: a '50s throwback with the original soda fountain, thick milkshakes, and jukebox all intact (the latter now plays CDs). Obama order Ben’s famed chili half-smoke, a grilled half-pork, half-beef sausage on a steamed roll slathered with onions and mustard, and a Diet Coke before sitting down, in the midst of the crowd, to lunch with D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty. Although the owner offered a free meal, Obama picked up the check—and left a $20 bill before waving and slipping back into his motorcade.
John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
The Right Dumps Carrie
Jacob Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Daily Beast. Previously, he was a features writer at WWD and W Magazine. He has also written for New York magazine, Paper, and The Huffington Post.
The New, Improved John Kerry
Sandra McElwaine is a Washington-based journalist. She has been a reporter for The Washington Star, The Baltimore Sun, a correspondent for CNN and People and Washington editor of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. Currently she writes for The Washington Post, Time and Forbes.
My Iranian Prison
Sandra McElwaine is a Washington-based journalist. She has been a reporter for The Washington Star, The Baltimore Sun, a correspondent for CNN and People and Washington editor of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. Currently she writes for The Washington Post, Time and Forbes.
Michelle's Time to Shine
Sandra McElwaine is a Washington-based journalist. She has been a reporter for The Washington Star, The Baltimore Sun, a correspondent for CNN and People and Washington editor of Vogue and Cosmopolitan. Currently she writes for The Washington Post, Time and Forbes.
Gosh, I was born, 63 years ago, and raised in WDC. Dullest, dowdiest place on the planet. Hey! Not nice.
And I am quite sure the security was just as tight as it was for Peres. Although Peres had the Diplomatic Secret Service, and they are more aggressive in appearance than the US Secret Service they are no more effective. I think the Grays were star struck, but I wish they had spoken more thoughtfully. PS I am not affiliated with either agency, it is my personal observation as a resident of the city.
I should not omit that I am thrilled to have the Obamas here in WDC, and glad they feel likewise.
I lived in DC for 15 years and I love it!
You know, it's just nice to break pace with the deadly serious business of reporting and reading about what ails us all in this gasping economy, except for the eateries involved to which it's quite serious, and turn to a more personal, lighter side of our lives and with no less than our president and the first lady featured. Goodness knows, these moments are quite scarce nowadays making them all the more enjoyable. An easy, unprovocative, and pleasant read for a change. I hope the grumps can withhold their fire for once. Thank you.
I'm with you.
It gives me a mild thrill that Obama eats in the same sort of places I do.
Yup, all we need is a light moment .
I heard there was something burning in the kitchen,
and it smells like Rome.
Love is blind, and the media is all atwitter.
Now he's a food critic.
What can't the man do?
Who needs to worry about Obama possibly bankrupting
the country with record spending
(more than ALL 43 of his predecessors . . . COMBINED ?),
when he's hobnobbing with burger aficionados.
It's as if the campaign never ends, even after the election.
Political photo ops always look so spontaneous and sincere.
What ? They don't deliver ?
As for his next trip to Europe,
will he be flying Air Force One . . .
. . . or will he be walking across ( ON ) the Atlantic.
After 8 years of hell and an economy in shambles, yes Sophia, we do need a few light moments.
Obama won. Get over it and try to lighten up every once in a while.
It's so true. I think people have gotten so used to reading misery all the time, we've forgotten that there are small pleasures we are still lucky enough to enjoy in everyday life. I think it's great exposure for restaurants, eateries and burger places who might be struggling. I'd be over the moon if I was having dinner and Mr. Pres walked in!
I am thrilled to see our first couple loving real food, like hamburgers laden with cheese.
Typically, we in Kansas think of Democrats as nothing but tofu eaters like Michael Pollan who want to want to destroy our way of life by ending production agriculture--the cattle feeding, wheat production and dairy industries that make up the real rural America. The land Tina Brown and her crowd fly over to get to the other Coast.
The Obamas are giving us a real shout-out here and we hollar back come to Crazy-R's in Goodland, Vernie's or the Golden Q (have a red beer here) in Hays, the Cozy Inn in Salina (beats White Castle) for our great burgers. Like a bit of Iowa (the Obamas sure remember Iowa loose meat), Nu-Way in Wichita is hard to beat.
So, come one, Beasties, give us beef backers some love, just as the Obamas do!
larry-
As a lefty
I will say there is nothing
Quite as good as a medium rare
Grass fed steak.
I look at tofu in the same way
As I look at my
Kitchen sponge.
You have a kitchen sponge?
LOL! As a center righty, I couldn't agree with you more.
Yeah, just make it grass fed, not corn and soy fed, please.
WOW you need to get out of Kansas...
I only know one person who eats tofu, and my circle of friends is generally pretty liberal.
Med-rare steak is one of my favorite foods, it makes my mouth water just to think about it. And I tend to be (socially) pretty to the left.
Seriously, get out of Kansas and meet some people... I think you'll find Democrat stereotypes like not eating meat are rare and far between.
I am a Chef- have TREMENDOUS respect for independent farmers-wish I could be one. But the mono-culture method of farming truly only benefit massive agri-companies; it is NOT to be lauded, admired or pursued.
The way we produce food is making us fat and sick. It is killing our environment, our economy and decimating the ability of people of foreign nations to provide for themselves. Michael Pollan is heroic in his research and reporting.
No one wants to "destroy (y)our way of life". Currently we don't produce enough food to support our population. What we should ALL want are farms that can sustain themselves without govt. financial support. We should ALL want to end the millions of gallons of raw animal sewage these methods dump into our waterways. We should ALL want healthy soil and animals. To think Monsanto and Con-Agra are anything but vile rapists is to not know what they are doing. To think that the majority of farms in this country AREN'T owned by agribusiness is wishful (and unhelpful) thinking.
I always appreciate Senator Grassley's (R-Iowa) attempts to cap farm subsidies. Imagine, Archer Daniels Midland spends millions in advertisements in the D.C. media market... not for sales, but to influence Congress.
And for most Republicans other than Senator Grassley, it works.
But you are wrong to say that we don't produce enough food. Enough good food? Quality food? Suitable to be served to the President and Congress? Surely not. But enough? Yes.
Josh
What I meant was that most of the "food" grown in this country is actually industrial material, subjected to great manipulations of chemistry in order to create Twinkies, Fruit Loops and Quarter Pounders. And because corn and soy (industrial material) have become indomitable markets, less and less land is available for actual food-things you could pick, wipe off and eat.
I wish their patronage had done as much for Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop in Harper Court. Perhaps Barack could use his influence with the University of Chicago to get them to extend the lease. After all, he did say, on Check Please!, that it was his favorite Chicago restaurant. If something doesn't happen --- FAST -- he's had his last meal there.
I hope you can save your landmarks, and that the Pres. will give a shout out.
You know the difference about Obama he smiles, he seems to enjoy things, and strangely the same things we enjoy, like going out for a hamburger, holding hands in the park, (of course after wiping ones hands after eating hamburger).
The Bushes, the Mcgains, the Palins, always seemed to have their nose up in the air, telling us who belongs in their America.
Don't know about the McCann's and the Palins, but you are so wrong about the Bush's. That is one description you won't even hear from his opponents.
Great piece. This was fun to read and it is wonderful that our young President and First Lady are out on the town and enjoying the local restaurants. I agree, sometimes you just need to experience a great burger!!!
Why is it after I read this article, I had to run out and get a peperoni pastry thingy.
I've never had a martini "garnished with olives and soft-shell crab tempura."
It sounds terrible.
"Once seated (in a semi-private room), Michelle and the president indulged in straight-up martinis garnished with olives and soft-shell crab tempura."
I didn't believe it, but, yes, there it is: martinis garnished with crab tempura.
Sandra McElwaine = screamingly lame.
perkins-
Somehow I don't think
The crab tempura was
Bobbing around in the martini.
There should be a comma
After olives.
Yes, just stick a comma somewhere, anywhere. That should fix everything.
Hugh-
Are we in a bad mood?
oh god help us, ritarita is correcting posters typos, when she has yet to write a complete sentence? My, have the high gotten mighty!
It's not a correction
Jack.
Read it one more time
Slowly.
It's not a punctuation problem. A comma there would be a misplaced comma.
Her sentence is worded poorly. It needs re-wording.
Your fix is a non-fix.
I juts don't get it. Going to a restaurant JUST because the President went? That shows lack of self confidence... I guess.
Not only an elegant president, but a sincere, outgoing, lively, regular guy too.
Both still a wind of fresh air in the White House compared with its former inhabitants.
Why doesn't Obama practice what he dictates?
"Why can he spend thousands of taxpayer dollars for a weekend trip to NYC and yet chastise CEOs of major car manufacturers for flying to Washington to meet with congress to discuss the future of the then failing auto industry?
Obama attempted to humiliate them and they then drove for two days to attend the second DC hearings. Of course the end of the story is Obama is now President of GM and Chrysler and dictating who's on the Board.
Then you have O and MO enjoying an expensive night on the town via Gulfstream and not a care in the world for costs much less "his big fat" carbon footprint. What a hypocrite!
Perhaps Michelle and Barack are the new food fashion mavens, but they have their critics to contend with. The Fat Man himself tells his radio audiences that the president is an elitist, which we're supposed to glean from Obama's having ordered a hamburger with Dijon mustard. Now, don't forget, these same culinary giants were championing boycotts of French cheeses and wines when the Gallic brothers refused to join the "coalition of the willing." Back then, burgers were supposed to be accompanied by "Freedom" rather than French fries. I don't know if I've ever actually had a burger with Dijon, but I have a hunch I am going to try one that way. As for the Fat Man, why doesn't he just skip lunch and take a few more Oxycontin.
I've just read the comments...and they seem to suggest that the Obamas are uniting the country, left and right that is...
...and that by means greasy, vein clogging food. Who would have thought that this could be achieved in such a charming and simple fashion?
Thank you for this article.
Hey, they're stimulating the economy!
It's good to see the Obamas out and about and having a good time, but the $24,000 fuel bill (paid for by tax payers - that would be us) seems a little steep for a night on the town.
$24,000? Where did you read that? Link please?
Well, at the very least, New York City is a lot closer to Washington, DC than Crawford, Texas, right?
This user is no longer registered.
I had to sign in just to respond to this...
Obama is the cause for our current predicament? Thats the best thing I've heard in a while. Perhaps you forget this economy tanked with Bush in office. Further more, if you look at the stock market trend since Obama has been in office, its been steadily raising.
The "Debt from Hell", is also a gift handed down from our last president. This is also a fact. When Clinton left office we had a surplus - when Bush left office - record deficit.
Keep on trying though, all though I think you would have a better chance of people listening if you didn't take you're talking points from Limbaugh.
Exactly! People seem to get amnesia about how we got into this mess. Ridiculous.
The debt from Hell is Obama's 11 Trillion dollar debt in implemented or rammed up the crapper's in his "enchanting" first 100 days.
Bush left 1 Trillion - get the calculator out!
And as O has said to his elitist in LA "I'm just gettin' started..." hopefully someone w business acumen will slow him down.
enough about their food choice! they chose one of the best dramas on broadway. august wilsons JOE TURNER is a excellent show.
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.
Please log in to leave comments.