Oohh … Aahh! Soul Food Spices Up D.C.’s U Street Corridor

A spicy thing happened to me on the way to a Matisyahu concert this week (Matisyahu being the Hasidic reggae singing sensation who performed in the U Street / Cardoza neighborhood of DC recently). Several friends and I ambled into “Oohhs and Aahhs Restaurant,” a Soul food establishment at the corner of U Street and 10th Street, N.W.

The owner answers to the name Aji, doubles as chef, and creates sweet and spicy dishes for customers who savor Southern cuisine. Though Aji swears to be a native Washingtonian, he wears a French chef’s hat, sports a wireless phone headpiece, and walks with the swagger of a man who was reared much further south of the Mason-Dixon line than the nation’s capital.

Some of Aji’s dishes, like collard greens and catfish, are no surprise for a soul food restaurant. But the menu also includes curiosities like a dish called chicken wings and waffles. Though Oohhs and Aahhs offers teriyaki salmon and lobster, I’ve always been one to shy away from seafood. So I stuck with the baked chicken dinner, which comes wrapped in tin foil and is served in a plastic to-go container.

It seems a crime to pay $13.95 for chicken in a cafeteria-style restaurant nestled in one of D.C. poor neighborhoods. But the intoxicating aroma of the baked chicken and its savory taste make it worth it. The best part is you get to select two of nine possible sides as part of your dinner at no extra charge. Though sides include macaroni and cheese, rice with gravy, French fries, and potato salad, I opted for collard greens and string beans. I wasn’t disappointed.

Since I try to eat healthy I hoped ordering hot tea wouldn’t be too tall an order. Unfortunately, Oohhs and Aahhs doesn’t carry Lipton tea or the likes. As an alternative Aji offered to nuke a cup of sweet tea in the microwave. I took him up on the idea. The thought of drinking sweat tea hot instead of ice cold wouldn’t have occurred to me, but I’m glad I tried it.

After Aji serves up your order you take it upstairs to a small dining area yourself. Don’t expect the look and feel of the restaurant to be the culinary version of “The Devil Wears Prada.” The ambiance is simple and the tables sport plastic covers that remind me of, well, a southern-stylebarbeque.

Aji, for his part, says he doesn’t get out much. It’s no wonder. Starting last month Oohhs and Aahhs opened its doors for late-night service (11 PM until 5 AM) from Thursday to Saturday. Don’t look for Aji’s grilled shrimp on Sundays or Mondays: Oohhs and Aahhs is closed so Aji can take a rest from serving Washington’s tired, hungry, and poor for lack of beef short ribs. Oohhs and Aahhs is located at 1005 U Street, N.W. and is near several hot clubs. Among these venues is the historic Bohemian Caverns where many music greats played during the jazz era, and where many still do today. The U Street / Cardoza Metro is across the street from Oohhs and Aahhs.

This post is by Guest Bogger Jay D. Krasnow from www.hyperactivestyle.com. Thanks Jay!