4 Culture Kids: Souk

It was my first night out on H Street so I wanted to go to somewhere multi-culti and edgy, and Sticky Rice seemed like the perfect place. It was a Friday night and we found out that Sticky Rice was full so we played it cool (and told Sticky Rice to stick their famous Sticky Balls up their Sticky $@&)* and went down the road to find Souk.

Souk (meaning “market” in Arabic) offered the edgy multi-culti element that we were looking for. The hole-in-the-wall place reminded me of the low-key Hummus and Falafel places back home, but a little bit more hip with the colorful lanterns and cushions. I also appreciated that the kitchen was open (just right over the ceramic tile counter), adding a sense of intimacy and allowing yummy smells to fill up the restaurant.

Of course, we started our meal with small plates of Hummus and Baba Ghannuoge. The Hummus we got (Hummus b'Shawarma) came topped with Shawarma style chicken. I liked the chicken, but I wasn’t crazy about the Hummus. The Baba Ghannuoge was also fine. The bread seemed to be the generic pita that you got from the super market so our appetizers were boarding towards unmemorable. But our group was still hungry and JR suggested ordering the Hummus Special.

Coming from the Middle East, "Hummus Special" translated to "Made Up Crap" but the dish surprised me – it was delicious. The Hummus topped with spiced ground meat worked. It actually reminded me of the Fatteh that my Syrian grandma used to prepare…and being compared to Teta's cooking means that you're way up there!

It was time for the main entrée. The Mahshi caught my attention. One usually doesn’t find Mahshi (stuffed vegetables, usually zucchini) at Middle Eastern restaurants here so I was very glad to see it featured on Souk's menu. The rice stuffing in the zucchini and red bell pepper was flavored with delicious Middle Eastern spices. The dish was so substantial that I forgot it didn't come with meat in the stuffing (which it usually does). JR ordered the Kotlet (lamb with couscous), which I thought could've been juicer and less dry (both with the lamb and couscous). JR liked it though and he enjoyed the dish to the last bite :). We came with a couple of friends, one also ordered the Kotlet, and the other the Moroccan Salad - both reported “really good!”

The food was fine but one of the best aspects of Souk was the atmosphere. As I said before, I really liked the hole-in-the-wall setting, edged-up low-key style, and most of all, the open kitchen. The openness of the place made it easy to strike a conversation with the owner, who was cooking away while smiling at the customers every now and then. The owner is Moroccan so I talked to him in Arabic. I like talking to restaurant staff in their native language whenever I have the chance to do so – not only for the special treatment that one could possibly receive, but also for fostering the support that we immigrants have for one another in this foreign country. This was a great way to end our meal at Souk before heading to Atlas for a performance that discussed the different experiences of immigrant life and families in America.

* I still really want to go Sticky Rice so please excuse my Japanese – I take back what I said :)

4 Culture Kids: Speakeasy DC's Wetbacks, Aliens & Towelheads

So after quite an adventure trying to find a place to eat on H St NE on a Friday night, and discovering Souk, Sam, myself, and several friend made our way to the Atlas Performing Arts Center, to catch one of a multitude of offering during Intersections, a New America Arts Festival.

The one we were attending tonight was a SpeakeasyDC performance titled Wetbacks, Aliens & Towelheads: Stories from the First Generation.

I really can't sum it up any better than SpeakeasyDC does on their own website:

"Poet Regie Cabico tells the story of trying to fulfill the American Dream for his Filipino mother in “My H’Oprah”; TV News Reporter Delia Perry tells her story about negotiating the New and Old World rules of her Cape Verdean parents in “Tough Love”; activist Claire Nelson tells her story about changing her plans to become Jamaica’s first female prime minister in “Counting Myself American”‘; video artist and graphic designer Ayo Okunseinde tells his story about being a Nigerian transplant trying to be cool in suburban New Jersey high school in “International Day”; and comedian and solo performer, Vijai Nathan tells her story of trying to balance life as an Indian girl in Potomac, MD in “Beware”."

Now SpeakeasyDC is a storytelling organization. They have monthly nights where they have a series of "tellers" sharing stories based around a particular topic. The first one I attended was Line in the Sand. The stories were based about making a point, taking a stand, or breaking a pattern. And all it is is each individual at the mic, telling their tale. It's a really great cultivation of what is probably one of the oldest performing arts, storytelling. Check out this site/page on the history of storytelling, if you're interested.

Anyway, Sam was really looking forward to the performance particularly because of our Pinoy connection with Kuya Regie, and I showed him some of Regie's stand-up and spoken word.

But each storyteller was wonderful. It was interesting to see some of the themes which occurred in various stories, especially with regards to parents and grade school being people and places where issues of identity, culturally, ethnically, and nationality really come to a head.

Although, in striking contrast, Claire Nelson's tale is not one of growing up with these issues as a child, but facing them as an adult. The pivotal point in her story happens after years of believing she would only be passing through the U.S. and never quite letting roots dig into American soil. But then 9/11 happened, and (even though she was overseas) Claire thought something to the effect of "why would they do that to us"...

And it was the realization that the "them" became an "us" which catalyzed some reflection on what her cultural and national identity had become without even knowing it.

Anyway, that's about it...not much to say this time. We got to meet the performers and say hi. Definitely intend on catching the next SpeakeasyDC event, when possible (2nd Tuesdays of every month). Maybe we'll see you there :-)