Call us slightly obsessed. Yesterday we responded to a recent Pitchfork news piece in which +/- (Plus Minus) lists Ben’s Chili Bowl as one of their favorite hangouts whenever they are performing in D.C., with recommendations of some of our preferred local eateries. We thought even more about the subject and came up with a better idea. Who would be better at recommending pre- and post-show hangouts than local musicians?

So we e-mailed a few of the local bands in our Rolodex and asked them where they like to hang out before and after shows. Overall, we got some great responses, as well as an awesome recipe for vegetarian General Tso's Chicken. We also learned that sometimes you just can’t beat Ben’s for that late night/early morning junk food fix.

Here’s what the bands had to say.

Jon Mosher, singer for The Roosevelt, wrote, “The band members all hail from disparate parts of town, but some of us like to get together at places like The Raven in Mt. Pleasant, Polly's on U Street or even the downstairs at The Red & The Black. I happen to be particularly fond of combining eating, beveraging and relaxing into one venue, which makes Polly's an absolute must.” Mosher’s pick? Polly’s triple grilled cheese sandwich. “Yeah, I know it's merely a grilled cheese sandwich, but still ...”

Laura Burhenn, singer/songwriter and Georgie James co-conspirator, wrote, “I personally love either the Greek Spot (on 11th just north of U) for their vegetarian gyros -- the perfect pre-show meal. Amsterdam has the best falafel before or after a show.” For Georgie James, Burhenn noted Open City in Woodley Park. “Their late hours and delicious mac-n-cheese is a real draw. Otherwise, John and I tend to gravitate to Baja Fresh or California Tortilla ("cal tort") for lunchtime band meetings.”

J.R., lead singer of Death By Sexy, wrote, “So usually after the show we hang out at the bar until we get kicked out, then go get slices at Manny and Olga’s down the street. Either that or Ben’s Chili Bowl, which is good before the show. Apart from that, we usually just hang out at the bar, cause that’s where the booze is.”

We also found that some bands like to head west for their favorite eats.

Susan Hsu of Exit Clov, wrote that the band used to go to Ben's Chili Bowl and eat “greasy chili dogs after shows.” She also listed The Diner in Adams Morgan and added, “Em and I like waiting in ridiculous lines to eat dimsum the morning after.” But a big surprise was her mention of Bob & Edith’s 24-Hour Diner in Arlington. And Hsu wasn’t the only one to list Bob and Edith’s, which happens to be one of our favorite low-key diner hangouts.

Singer/songwriter Mike Holden wrote, “I guess my post-show hang out depends on where I'm playing a bit, but Bob & Edith's in Arlington is probably where I've headed more than anywhere else.” He also added, “If I'm not playing IOTA, that's one of my favorite spots to head to for a beer afterwards or anytime.”

And Ian Glinka from Middle Distance Runner wrote, “We would overwhelmingly agree that Galaxy Hut is probably our favorite place to go if we just want to hang out, grab some beers, some dinner and play a heated game of Mrs. Pac Man. I have the high score on the machine, by the way. You can go check for yourself, unless some bastard beat my score. It was 300,000 or something.” He also noted Mario's Pizzeria in Arlington – “They're open until 5 a.m. or something ridiculous like that.” He also sent along a great recipe for vegetarian General Tso's Chicken. “That's not to say everyone in MDR is a vegetarian ... just me,” he added. “The other four guys love nothing more than to shove a big, long, hot, fat sausage in their mouths.”

So next time you’re looking for good eats, but you want to save a little cash, here’s what Glinka passed down to us:

Vegetarian General Tso's Chicken

There are four main things going on while making this: The sauce, the "chicken," the steamed veggies, and the steamed rice. If possible, get someone to help and work on the chicken while another person works on the sauce. That usually makes things easier. If you have to do it yourself, try to multitask between the two as best as possible. The steamed veggies and rice can usually be started halfway through or even at the beginning if you can keep them warm through to the end. It usually takes between 30-45 minutes to make this.

This serves 2-4 depending on a variety of factors. As with any recipe, double / triple to account for larger groups.

The Sauce -- Ingredients / Prepwork
6 finely chopped green onions (long skinny things)
2 Tablespoons minced ginger (not pickled sushi ginger. call me if you get confused about what this is. sometimes it's hard to find.)
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1+1/3 Cup vegetable stock
1/4 Cup soy sauce (light soy sauce to reduce sodium)
1/2 Cup sugar (or Splenda ... tastes just as good and is way healthier)
2 Tablespoons sherry cooking wine
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
A few dashes of red pepper flakes to taste (the more the spicier it gets).optionally (if you can find them), you can add those red pepper things that actually come in General Tso's at Chinese restaurants.

The Sauce - Instructions
-Heat 6 Tablespoons vegetable oil in pan on medium heat.
-Add green onions, ginger and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn garlic.
-At this point, it should already start to smell fucking awesome.
-Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, sugar, red pepper and vinegar. Stir well. Let cook for another minute or two.
-Mix 2 Tablespoons cornstarch with 1/2 Cup water and pour into sauce, stirring well. The sauce will thicken somewhat and turn into a lovely glaze.
-This can be left on warm/low-heat for a while if need be.
-Add the fried "chicken" strips or tofu when they are done and mix in the sauce so they are coated evenly. Also add steamed veggies to the sauce when everything is ready.

The "Chicken" Ingredients
1 bag of Morningstar Farms Chik'n Strips (other brands will do, but these are the best!)
1 egg (or egg substitute). I usually use Egg Beaters
3/4 Cup of cornstarch (maybe a little more -- especially if you run out while coating the pieces).

The "Chicken" Instructions
-Mix the egg (or substitute) and 3 Tablespoons water.
-Dip the "chicken" in the egg/water mixture and coat completely. Sprinkle 3/4 cup cornstarch over tofu and coat completely. Watch out that the cornstarch doesn't clump up at the bottom of the bowl.
-Heat vegetable oil in a pan and fry "chicken" pieces until golden.
-Add "chicken" to sauce once the sauce is finished.
-Drain oil.

Steamed Veggies / Rice / Alternatives
You probably know how to steam vegetables and rice. If so, do that and add the veggies to the sauce/chicken. Serve the rice on the side.

If you don't know how to steam things, I usually just put them in separate bowls, fill them half way with water and put a plate on top (or otherwise cover the top). Throw them in the microwave for 5 minutes (or longer depending on how you like them). I usually pick up the pre-packaged broccoli/snow pea pods bags in the produce section. One bag should be plenty for the recipe. You could do it all fresh but I just don't have the patience.

Alternatively, you can make a pound or two of spaghetti or thin-spaghetti noodles instead of the rice (you still want the steamed veggies) and it makes for a GREAT General Tso's Lo-mein/pasta dish. Just pour the chicken/sauce/veggies into the cooked and drained noodles. That's an easier way of using this recipe to feed a bunch of people without them realizing it.

Photo by James Calder.