Since opening in 2004, Oohhs and Aahhs has put the smackdown on encroaching U Street soul food competitors. A combo of first-mover advantage and superior cooking scared Brown Sugar off the block last summer and sent A Taste of Carolina packing from 9th and U a few weeks ago. (A sign in Taste’s window reads, “Closed for Relocation.”) The place is small, so much so that a line of four customers is enough to make…

Though the area surrounding the intersection of 9th and U Streets is commonly known as “Little Ethiopia”, the neighborhood’s soul food roots have been experiencing a resurgence. First came the much celebrated Oohhs and Aahhs, then the arrival of Brown Sugar, and, just two months ago, A Taste of Carolina entered the soul food fray. Unlike Oohhs and Aahhs and Brown Sugar, A Taste of Carolina has eschewed the carry-out ambiance in favor of a…

Perhaps the tapas craze should be put behind us. Why does every restaurant have to focus on “little plates?” That said, we still enjoy those tapas made with an eye on Spanish tradition. Jose Andres first cookbook, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America, makes it easy for a U.S. cook to make these dishes with what’s readily available on our shores. And from the Basque-style stuffed Maryland blue crabs to the Route 11 potato…