A local economist speaks tomorrow on how to eat well and not go broke in the process.
In a DCist interview several weeks ago, Tyler Cowen declared that Zenebech Injera at 6th and T Streets NW was serving up the best Ethiopian food in town. We put the advice of the economics professor/ethnic eats guru to the test. On a sunny Friday afternoon, a steady stream of customers wanders in and out. Cabbies drive up to the door—literally onto the sidewalk—to grab their to-go containers. Definitely a good sign. The cashier dashes…
Most people wouldn’t ask an economist where to get dinner. But Tyler Cowen, a professor at George Mason University and author of the economics blog Marginal Revolution, has become an unlikely food critic with the popularity of his expansive Ethnic Dining Guide. Grounded in basic economic principles, Cowen’s somewhat unusual dining philosophy has allowed him to discover arguably some of the best ethnic restaurants in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Last week, Cowen spoke to DCist…
As part of an occasional series, BuyIndie.net’s Vince Wadhwani profiles an independent, local business owner in D.C. Other than coffee shops, perhaps no independent retailer faces as much pressure as your local book store. Opportunities abound to buy from aggressively growing chains or any of several online merchants. Some voices, like Tyler Cowen, wonder if that really matters at all, while others ask what may happen to the culture of reading when libraries and small…
When most folks think of Vietnamese food, their minds likely conjure up steaming bowls of nourishing pho or sweet and savory meats grilled with lemongrass. We’re always up for the surly table service at Pho 75, but our absolute favorite Vietnamese dish of all time has to be grilled beef wrapped in grape leaves. Last weekend, we were all about satisfying obscure food cravings, so we made an expedition to Eden Center — one of…
By DCist contributor Ari Charney Although Don Rockwell has been instrumental in spreading buzz about upscale restaurants among the Washington area’s foodie elite, Tyler Cowen’s Ethnic Dining Guide is often just as indispensable for cheap eats-oriented diners. Indeed, Cowen piqued our interest recently when he declared Hong Kong Palace “the premier Cantonese place around.” The usually terse Cowen then asked his readers, “Do you wish to explore the side of Chinese food that reminds you…
Wondering about the Next Kliman After yesterday’s news that Todd Kliman was leaving the City Paper, we got to wondering about who his eventual replacement would be. Kliman — like many food writers — did not get the position from any formal “food writing” training, but from a love of writing and food. In a prior life, he was one of Howard University’s coolest professors, and it took him a year to finally land a…
DCist was alarmed to see Corduroy on the D.C. Department of Health’s February Food Closure List. The closure of the popular restaurant took place on Feb. 24, with the restaurant re-opening later that same day. The only other establishment to be closed in February was New Star Market in Northeast, shut down for (among other things) operating without a license and evidence of rodents inside the establishment. Corduroy has been lauded by local foodies for…
Food critics can come from any number of places. The Post’s Tom Sietsema is a graduate of the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown. Frequent Iron Chef America judge Jeffrey Steingarten was formerly a lawyer. Frank Bruni, now food critic for The New York Times, covered politics in D.C. for many years. So is it any surprise that one of the area’s most idiosyncratic food reviewers is, by day, a professor of economics? Tyler Cowen,…