WEEKEND

Inside the Beltway

By Matthew Fox

Experience a side of D.C. you can’t get from a bus tour or a West Wing marathon without missing the best of the tourist staples.

Washington, D.C., is a city of transience. The perennial comings and goings of political staffers, lobbyists, officials and tourists revolve around neoclassical structures memorialized in currency. With the arrival of the Obama administration, the city has gained an exciting energy and has elicited new interest from out-of-towners. There has never been a better time to see the District, but this means big crowds and long lines. Our guide to Washington reveals how to experience the city as the locals do, without missing any of the major tourist destinations. In 2009, the eyes of the world have been on the American capital; here’s what they’ve been missing.

Georgetown

Georgetown’s picturesque streets are packed with independent boutiques like the Dutch Lady linen shop. The area, though, is choked with shoppers on summer afternoons, so if things get too hot, seek refuge in the Swedish embassy. Its public House of Sweden gallery displays Scandinavian art in a refreshingly Nordic modern oasis on the banks of the Potomac. When it’s safe to re-emerge, fuel up at Kotobuki, the unpretentious purveyor of the city’s freshest sushi. The warm sake and buttery sashimi are surprisingly affordable.

Arts District

Washington’s theatre scene is thriving, with its guaranteed audience of politicos, society figures and K Street pinstripe types. Dinner and a show is a classic D.C. experience, and two exceptional playhouses – the Studio and the Source – are located within walking distance of Hank’s Oyster Bar, one of the city’s best seafood restaurants. Wedged into a cozy Q Street space, this local favourite worships freshness and, with their faultless knowledge of the fare, the staff are clearly reading their daily intelligence briefings. The daily specials, deploying unexpected ingredients like octopus and ramps, are prepared with the same consistent quality as beloved standbys like oysters. It’s almost worth missing the curtain.

Chinatown

The National Portrait Gallery is the jewel in the Smithsonian crown, with classic artwork displayed in a Norman Foster masterpiece. After a day of waiting in long lines and gazing at presidents’ august visages, you might be easy prey for the nearby Chinatown culinary tourist traps. You can dodge that bullet at either Rasika or Zaytinya, two area restos with only their surprising quality in common. Zaytinya presents a delicious collision of Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern food, along with a strong wine list that includes hard-to-find libations like ouzo, raki and arak. The specialty is refined mezes – small plates that clutter the table with a dizzying array of strong, unique flavours. For those who prefer curry to garlic, stroll over to the innovative, high-end Indian boîte Rasika. The bible of a menu lists so many choices that the prix fixe (a local favourite) may appeal to those still pondering Andrew Jackson’s voluminous eyebrows.

Virginia

Though both are worth seeing, Arlington Cemetery and the Pentagon (which offers a surprisingly accessible tour) require a ton of walking to get the full effect. Worse, at the end of it all, you’re on the margins of the District with nary a restaurant in sight. Since you’re already in Virginia, why not make the most of it and head a little further to Thai Square? Don’t be fooled by the austere decor and standard fast-food-joint sign; this South Asian restaurant is the real deal. Washingtonians flock here by the Zipcar load for authentic dishes doled out in huge portions. Beginners can dive into such Thai standards as curry and dumplings, while those seeking a little adventure can try the whole deep-fried crab – good, at the very least, for conversation while cabbing back to D.C.

Dupont Circle

Embassy Row is as inside the Beltway as it gets; it’s where the Clintons’ backyard abuts the Bidens’. The area is mostly residential but is also home to the Phillips Collection of Impressionist and Modern art, featuring works by huge names like Rothko, Cézanne and O’Keefe, all hung in intimate settings. For a bite in the area, cross lush Dupont Circle and head to Darlington House. Part trattoria, part cantina, this unassuming restaurant defies the stuffiness of its setting. The airy dining room offers a quiet atmosphere for relaxing, while the downstairs has more of a bar feel, complete with patio. Like all the best places frequented by denizens of this insider’s city, it’s simultaneously a haven for outsiders and the kind of place where you might overhear Rahm Emmanuel shouting into his BlackBerry. And why not? He’s from Chicago.

(Matthew Fox is the editor of Torontolife.com and the author of Cities of Weather. He splits his weekends between Toronto and Washington.)

TOP IMAGE: ARVID BRING
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY: HUGH TALMAN, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
ARLINGTON GUARD: VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION / CAMERON DAVIDSON