The Beauty of Condiments, or "Why I Carry a Tide Stick"
In her book, Cooking for Mr. Latte, Amanda Hesser describes meeting Julia Child in France and having to take her out for a meal. However, all the restaurants that Ms. Hesser had wanted to take Julia to were not open, and they ended up at a small cafe. With smirking teenagers looking on, Julia Child ordered fried eggs with mayonnaise, and proceeded to ensure that she consumed every bit of the mayonnaise with her eggs and bread.
A lovely little anecdote, yes, but that grand dame of cooking, Julia, understood something really important: food is sometimes merely a vehicle for getting tasty condiments into one's mouth. Too frequently condiments are abused and serve as cover for sub par food – moistening dry meat or masking odd flavors. But then there are the ones with flavors that dance across the tongue, often hitting a spectrum of different sensations and different points in the mouth - an initial burn, a tongue-curling sourness, a savory and fatty mouthfeel, a sweet aftertaste. They enhance already amazing food and some are being worthy of dragging an extra piece of bread through or, in less polite company, a finger to get every last bit of goodness.
I've had many a pair of trousers that were a casualty of the mango sauce from Naan & Beyond, and each spill was well worth the dry cleaning bill. Possibly the best lunch steals in town are their chicken ($1.50) and veggie ($1.00) samosas. Roughly the size of a baseball, the chicken samosa is chock full of tender chunks of white meat. But these chicken samosas only reach their full potential with the free little tub of mango sauce, which tastes like a more refined, slightly spicy version of sweet and sour sauce. If you want a little extra kick, mix in some of the deep red hot sauce.
The best way to get this perfect flavor combination of meat and sweet is to rip off a thick corner of samosa wrapper and dip it into the mango sauce. This leaves you with a nice hole through which you can pour an appropriate amount of mango sauce. Be careful as you bite into this overstuffed monster or you might end up with little chunks of sauce-coated chicken tumbling out. The same rules apply for the veggie samosas, which are filled with curried potatoes and peas. This samosa is best paired with the bright green mint sauce, which provides a cool, creamy contrast against the strong curry flavors.
Another excellent spot for condiments is Max's Kosher Cafe in Wheaton. Much like Amsterdam Falafelshop, it has a wide variety of condiments for their falafel as well as shawarma. Toppings range from a cucumber and tomato salad, coleslaw-like cabbage, pickled beets, pickled cauliflower, hot sauce and tahini amongst a number of other flavorful odds and ends.
Unlike the free-for-all at Amsterdam, your sandwich maker will walk you down the line carefully layering your meat or falafel in between the pickles and sauces. Be careful, as overzealous garnishing can lead to a big soggy, salty mess. Not to mention you'll have more clothes coated in sauce. Ideally, try to layer fresh and preserved tidbits evenly, so you get a variety of different bites - some cool and clean and others sharp and pungent.
Now you might ask why go all the way to Wheaton, when Amsterdam Falafel is closer? In addition to great condiments, the falafel at Max's is superlative, just ask Don Rockwell, who describes the falafels as, “only lightly battered, and beautifully soft and flavorful on the inside...“
So whether it's breaking the laws of physics by squirting a ketchup packet on the front of your white shirt to perhaps sitting on your couch with a tub of mayonnaise, follow Julia's lead. Don't neglect that little bit of tastiness on the side.
Naan & Beyond
1701 L Street NW
202.466.6404
Metro: Farragut North
Max’s Kosher Café
2319 W. University Blvd.
Wheaton, MD
301.949.6297
Metro: Wheaton