The two local restaurants under re view in this issue offer what my infor mants and I believe to be good authentic international food. One is Puerto Rican and the other is Indian.
El Encanto (6521 Riggs Road; 301-559- 0200: drive west on University Boule vard to Riggs Road, turn left on Riggs and drive about one mile to the restaurant on your left; open Tu-Th 11-9, F-Sat 11-10, Sun 1-8) is a relatively new area restaurant where proprietor and chef Carmen Cortes serves the food of Puerto Rico. Journalist (and El Encanto dining companion) Rosalinda DeJesus says that the food reminds her of her "mother's home cooked hearty meals." The dining area is far from fancy, although there are a few decorations that remind one of the island.
Carmen Roman tells me: "El Encanto is Maryland's only Puerto Rican restaurant. It serves such authentic Puerto Rican fair as mofongo and lechon asado. The restaurant is very good, but the service is sometimes slow because they run on Puerto Rican time." From Nelson Padua-Perez: "I am from Puerto Rico. I have gone to El Encanto and think the food is great (even better than some restaurants in Puerto Rico). If someone wants to learn about Puerto Rican food, El Encanto is the place." And DeJesus: "I highly iecommend El Encanto to any one, especially people who have not tried Puerto Rican dishes. There's something on the menu for everyone." Phyllis C. Richman, who works for a rival newspaper in the area (the name of the paper escapes me), recently wrote: " El Encanto offers a lot of food for the money. And it is food not to be found elsewhere."
A featured Puerto Rican dish is mofongo in its many varieties (ranging in price from $6.50 to $8.50). Mofongo incorporates chopped fried plantain, pork skins, garlic, salt, and olive oil. Variations include broth on the side or morsels of pork or the vegetarian version that does not include pork skins; the latter has shrimp and cod fish stuffing variations. Mofongo has a lively garlic flavor, but it's a bit too heavy for my taste. Among the other dishes I've enjoyed are Asopao de Pollo and Asopao de Ganduces, both ($6.95). The former is a chicken casserole stew, and the latter is a pigeon pea stew. Both are flavored with garlic, olives, oregano, green peppers, and surely some mysterious items. Among the other items on the menu (in the $5 to $9.25 range) are Bacalao Guisado (stewed cod fish), shrimp stew, and fried chicken. Some of the main dishes are served with a small unassuming salad, rice, beans,tostones, fried plantain, french fries, or yuca.The appetizers include bacacaito ($1.25), shreddedcod fish fried in butter; relleno de papa ($1.50), a fritter of mashedpotatoes with a core of meat; rellenos de tostones ($4.50), which are friedplantains filled with shrimp, cod fish or beef; and alcapurrias, ($1.50_) grated plantain with beef. The drinks (in the $1.10-1.25 range) include mavi (which has a grassy taste), malta, tamarindo, and some more mainstream items.
Moyor Mohal (8145K Baltimore Avenue; 301-474-8484: drive north onBaltimore Avenue to the first shopping cluster on your right) is a new addition to the fine Indian restaurants that have opened in the area. I was alerted to its arrival by Profes sor Louiqa Raschid. On two of my visits, I purchased the buffet luncheon priced at $5.95 for al1 one can eat. It's a buffet that Samir Khuller calls "highly recommended." On one visit, a solo adventure, the restaurant offered four main dishes: chicken ticka, chicken masala, curried mixed vegetables, and vegetable bhaji (a mostly green pea dish that was referred to as the "dry item"). In addition, there was a cream soup and rice. I enjoyed all of the main dishes, choosing the chicken masala and the curried mixed vegetables for second helpings. On my second visit, I was supported by three university colleagues with special knowledge of Indian cuisine, Kalyani Chadha, Samir Khuller, and Louiqa Raschid. We all ordered the buffet, and we focused on tandoori chicken, cabbage with potatoes, and spinach with potatoes. The soup was mulligatawny. Of course, there was nan bread and rice. The desert was kheer, which is made of rice, milk, and nuts. The verdict: good food! Louiqa thinks the luncheon offers "one of the best buffets in the area," and her suggestion is to "come here." Samir says, "Definitely come here."
There is a full menu of order individually dishes for lunch or dinner. For in stance, the vegetable curries include Aloo Bob (cauliflower and potatoes cooked with tomatoes and spices, $6.95), Bengan Bharta (tandoori baked eggplant cooked with onions, tomatoes, and spices, $7.25), Salmon Tandoori ($9.95), and Shrimp Tandoori ($9.99). Of course, there is a variety of breads, including Naan ($ 1.25) and Roti ($1.25). Some Indian food is quite spicy, but at Moyor Mohal the offer ings are mild. (Samir: "...the restaurant is not for someone looking to eat hot and spicy food.") That should be an attractive characteristic for a wide range of diners. The restaurant is good and it is a convenient short walk from the eastern side of campus. Try it.
Elsewhere: Many readers of this column go at least occasionally to the Kennedy Center. We have a recommendation: It's Zuki Moon, a small "mod" restaurant in the George Washington University Inn. Although the menu is some what limited, it's very good yet modestly priced. And agood dinnerusually is in the $ 10-20 range. On my last visit, the shared starters included "A variety of seaweeds salad" ($5), "Spinach with sesame tofu dressing" ($4.50), and "Tempura of vegetables with wasabi dipping sauce" ($5.50). The shared main dishes were"Shiitake mushroom stir fry" with snow peas, aromatic vegetables,tofu, and scallions ($12.95) and "Zuki udon" noodle soup withgrilled chicken, shrimp tempura, scallops, greens, egg, and aromaticvegetables ($8.95). Oh, yes, the opera was good too.
William John Hanna is Professor of Urban Studies as well as Director of Langley Park Project. Suggestions future dining columns should be sent to him at bhanna@bss2.umd.edu.