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By DCist Food and Drink contributor Jamie R. Liu
When I asked my friend to come along with me to Daruma in Bethesda, his response was something to the effect of “Bethesda is a culinary wasteland filled with mediocre chain restaurants.” But hidden away from frustrating pedestrian traffic and the main dining areas of Bethesda sits Daruma -- a hole-in-the-wall Japanese market that sports a decent food counter with a small seating area in the back.
Unlike most Japanese spots in the D.C. area, Daruma doesn't make serving sushi its priority. Instead, the counter serves food closer to Japanese street food -- quick, simple noodle dishes and curry on rice served to salarymen on the go. True to form, other diners (all Asian, definitely a good sign) slurped their noodles and dashed.
The two of us shared kitsune soba, katsudon curry, and kimuchi/kimchee ramen. The kistune soba is buckwheat noodles in a broth with scallions, leeks and thin sheets of fried tofu. The noodles themselves were cooked well, but they tasted as if they were from one of the packages of dried noodles lining the market shelves. The dashi-based broth (frequently used in miso soup) had a savory, slightly musty smell, but also a sweet teriyaki-like flavor that paired well with the scallions. The thin sheets of deep fried tofu were flavorful and well conceived; they had been marinated before frying, so they had a salty flavor that contrasted with the broth.
Katsudon curry is katsu on rice topped with Japanese curry. Japanese curry's sauce has a flavor more akin to a beef stew than Indian curry, with a lighter and sweeter flavor from the addition of fruit with a hint of curry powder. It was accompanied by a small amount of fukujinzuke, a type of Japanese soy sauce pickle. The combination of the pork cutlet and the curry sauce worked well together, as the katsu would have been on the dry end without it.
The kimuchi ramen was nothing like the cheapo Top Ramen you buy by the packet at the grocery store. These noodles seemed to be fresh and floated in a meaty broth topped with kimuchi and crumbles of ground pork. The flavors were rich and continued to develop as the dish sat; the broth revealed a spicier and more vegetal component from the cabbage.
Also worth noting is the selection of Japanese drinks, which are a bit of a splurge at $2.75. We sampled an excellent grapefruit juice that captured the sweetness of grapefruit and had a hint of bitterness from the pith as well as a delicious yuzu and lemon soda. Basic noodle dishes start out at around $4 each to about $10 for more meat-intensive dishes.
Daruma's market section is best known for its sushi-grade fish (including tuna and yellowtail) and octopus, which come in on Thursdays and usually sell out by the end of the weekend. There are also a number of other small cooked dishes such gyoza, seaweed salad and mackerel. Among the dry goods are fascinating finds such dried fish and a brand of chocolate bar named Crunky (which would undoubtedly make Lil' Jon happy)
Daruma offers up simplicity in a culinary world that is too often filled with the next trend in molecular gastronomy floating in a puddle of white truffle oil. Sometimes all you need is a bowl of noodles floating in soup.
Daruma
6931 Arlington Rd. #E
Bethesda, Md.
(301) 654-8832
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Don't forget Temari Cafe for a larger variety of Japanese street/comfort foods, particularly their ramen.
I remember Daruma back when they were on Wisconsin Avenue under the radio towers. This was back when they were pretty much the only game in town when it came to Asian groceries, let alone Japanese ones. Good to hear they're still in business.
I like your friend. I think the first sentence of this article should have been, "Bethesda is a culinary wasteland filled with mediocre chain restaurants." No quotes.
Bethesda's cuilinary days were numbered when they tore down the Bob's Big Boy. People tend to get the overpriced boutique slop they deserve.
I do like Daruma's food, and it is one of only a few places in the DC area where one can get curry rice and ramen.
However, most of the time after I eat there, I am incredibly thirsty within a few hours. I conclude that there is either way too much salt or MSG in their food. Especially for those who are sensitive to MSG, you might want to be careful about what you order there.
d, the author just described a unique and interesting place...you know....proving that bethesda is apparently not just a culinary wasteland filled with mediocre chain restaurants. I think you missed something here.
Bethesda has many terrific restaurants and it's hardly a secret. Quite a few of Washington's best restaurants are located there. Among them; Raku, Tako Grill, Penang, Blacks, David Craig, Jaleo, Tara Thai, - - I could go on, but try for yourself. Your friend is uninformed.