Free Food-A-Thon Finals: Part Four

After gazpacho and ganache, ‘violi and veal, and a tad of tiramisu, I was done eating. Like Kobayashi calling it quits, I was finished with food.

Then I heard a voice. It wasn’t Eminem this time and it damn sure wasn’t my internal monologue. It was the unmistakable voice of one Weird Al Yankovic. Here’s what he said:

For those at work where YouTube is blocked or folks worried about NSFW material, Al’s message was quite simple: “Just Eat It.”

He was right.

For all I knew, my com-pe-tition was feasting on filet. I wouldn’t, nay, I couldn’t go down without a fight.

So I lobbied my case with the Food-A-Thon judges the old school way. I headed across the street from the J.W. Marriott to the Willard Intercontinental, where the term “lobbyist” originated in the nineteenth century when political wheelers and dealers would head to the Willard lobby where Ulysses S. Grant was often to be found enjoying brandy and a cigar (bet he didn’t get it for free).

Words do not do the beautiful Beaux Arts lobby and its opulent, ornate ornamentation justice. My picture doesn’t either, but here it is:

But we’re here to appease appetites for food, not architecture. And I’ve come to the right place. The Willard gets more attention for its $4,200-a-night suite than its food, but the kitchen deserves some cred too. When I looked at the menu, I smiled at the chef’s attempt to spice up a few American summer classics: the Willard’s hot dog, for example, is an ale poached Kobe beef frankfurter served on a toasted baguette with roasted sweet pepper slaw and grain mustard. The Maine lobster roll comes with shaved truffles.

This all sounded great, but now I had to get a taste of the action. Thankfully, that wasn’t very hard.

The Nuclear Energy Institute was in the house to host its annual Nuclear Fuel Supply Forum. The forum was geared towards nuclear fuel fabricators; uranium converters and enrichers, and energy economists, but I figured a student could learn a bit so hopped in line for lunch in the Willard’s magnificent Crystal Room.

I didn’t have much room for the tempting salads, but loosened my belt a notch to sample the Atlantic salmon and littleneck clams served with wilted watercress and roasted cherry tomotoes.

As I walked from the dining room to hear Richard J.K. Stratford, director of nuclear energy affairs for the State Department, talk about nonproliferation negotiations with Russia, two men behind me discussed the lunch they had just enjoyed.

“A little better fare than the old Senate cafeteria,” one joked.

“Oh come on, don’t knock the Senate buffet,” the other responded. “That mac and cheese was great.”

I’m sure it was, but as long as it’s free I’m sticking with the salmon.