Good News for the Neighborhood:

Dear Friends:
I am pleased to announce that the owner of Bus Boys and Poets will open a second restaurant at the Flats of Union Row. The new restaurant is across the street from the first, Bus Boys and Poets, at 14th and V St, NW.
The new restaurant will be called Eatonville. It is named in tribute of one of the first all-black towns to be formed after the Emancipation Proclamation. The restaurant will occupy 6,000 sq. ft. with seating for about 250 guests. There will be an outdoor patio.I am pleased to welcome Eatonville to the historic U Street Corridor. Bus Boys and Poets has been a great success. Eatonville will provide another great dining experience for the residents of Ward One.
Bests, Councilmember Jim Graham

Last night at Ulah

How I would rank (in order of awesome-ness) the details of my evening:
1. The company
2. The service
3. The food

So let’s start from the top:

1. Jackie. My former coworker, the mastermind behind my women’s writing group, the hysterical blogger, and oh yeah, my friend. While we don’t get together often (outside of our monthly writing group meetings) it’s always a pleasure.

Jackie feels my pain. She knows what it’s like to feel stuck in a world where your dreams are big, your plans are uncertain and your direction is…unclear? You know how us creative types are. We want the world on a hot pink platter, laid out in front of us with clarity, creativity and speaking for myself, cook books! It’s nice to know that in this muddled mix of real life and big dreams there are kindred spirits. And it’s nice to know that they come with big smiles and yoga mats!

2. The waiter at Ulah. Why didn’t I catch his name? Maybe I was busy with my whine and my wine…a Sauvignon Blanc, to be exact. Crisp with strong pear undertones. A perfect glass for last night’s heat.

But where was I? Ah, yes- our waiter. This is the kind of waiter you want on a girl’s night out. No, not some twenty-something stud to fix up with Jackie. A nice, middle-aged man with a big smile, an attentive eye and the ability to make helpful recommendations. Sure, my date and I had plenty to talk about, but it’s nice to have that casual conversation from friendly wait staff every once in a while. It’s also nice to have your food delivered promptly, your glass filled, your evening made a little more pleasant with an invitation to return, a good recommendation.

It looks like most the people who visit Ulah have positive things to say about the staff, and you’ll get no arguments from me. And truth be told, if a place has decent food and superior service, I’ll be back a second time. I can’t stress this point enough.

3. Ulah Pizza and Mojito Chicken. The pizza was a pleasant surprise and came recommended by our waiter. Thin, crispy crust topped with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, basil, parmesan and crabmeat. I thought the pizza could have benefited from a little more basil, but the tasty, lumpy crab meat won me over. How nice it is to bite into a crab pizza and actually taste…crab!

The chicken was ok…the menu detailed what I would have thought to be stronger flavors (glazed in rum, roasted in spices.) What we got were mild flavors. The risotto was tasty – a little dry, but since the perfect risotto is still beyond this novice chef’s reach, I won’t begrudge Ulah’s chef.

And there it is. A decent place, a fun waiter, a perfect dinner date. Good enough!