OUT AND ABOUT
Insatiable by Celeste McCall
The Ivy City Smokehouse menu also showcases a bountiful salad Nicoise with lots of tuna, but (sometimes) no anchovies.
I
t had been a while since we’d visited Ivy City, so husband Peter and I decided to explore recent culinary developments. Accompanied by our friend Nan, we drove there and sought out lunch. Ivy City Smokehouse & Tavern, 1356 Okie St. NE, was one of few midday options. We had preferred to dine al fresco on the spacious patio, but nearby construction noise drove us indoors. Service was slow, but during the Covid shutdown, many businesses are still short staffed. I chose my favorite Smokehouse dish: grilled oysters, often a daily special. Six plump bivalves are capped with savory breadcrumbs. Peter ordered salad Nicoise. The salad was tasty and generous, but lacking the
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traditional olives and anchovies. Asparagus subbed for the usual green beans. Nan went for the bountiful Santa Fe bowl, a vegetarian mélange of Basmati rice, black beans, avocado chunks, grilled onions, corn and spinach, crowned with a pair of fried eggs. The bowl arrived with two tortillas. The Tavern menu now includes pizza in addition to such favorites as raw bar selections, house-smoked fish, po’ boy shrimp Cobb and crab cakes (market price). “Red” pizzas are topped with Italian sausage, grilled chicken, Kalamata olives and more; “white” pies support shiitake mushrooms, grilled onions and the like. Another delicious newbie is salmon candy cream cheese, available on the menu with a toasted bagel, and downstairs at the Market. There, a 16-ounce container goes for $13.98. For hours and more information on Ivy City Smokehouse Market and Tavern, visit www.tavern.ivycitysmokehouse.com.
Axes to Grind
Here’s something fun and different: Near Ivy City Smokehouse, at 1401 Okie St. NE, we stumbled
In Ivy City, a giant statue of legendary Babe the Blue Ox greets fans at the festive Kick Axe DC.
into Kick Axe DC. We were greeted at the door by a statue of Babe the Blue Ox—the giant bovine sidekick of American folk hero Paul Bunyan. The sprawling, 53,000-square-foot, multi-level Kick Axe emporium is festooned with neon signs and other festive décor. You’ll find live entertainment, party space, a patio and huge friendly bars dispensing cocktails, beer and wine. The food menu encompasses hummus, chips and salsa, 8-inch “personal” pizzas, pigs-in-a-blanket, macand-cheese bites and more. Oh yes—axe throwing is practiced in special, designated lanes. Don’t worry, experts will teach you the proper skills and safe techniques necessary to release your inner lumberjack. Food and drinks are delivered directly to axe-hurling lanes. For hours and more information, visit www.kickaxe.com.
