Arts & Entertainment
D.C.’s sandwich battles
Taylor Gourmet vs. SUNdeVICH in taste test showdown
Taylor Gourmet features Philly-inspired sandwiches in a stylish setting. (Blade photo by Michael Key)
There is something about a perfect sandwich that makes me smile.
The crispy crust of the bread with a nice moist center, the freshness of quality meats, the smooth cheese that complements it, and the snap of the veggies that top off the sandwich perfection. Sandwiches seem simple but there are so many elements that can lead to their downfall. Two sandwich shops in D.C. promise to deliver high-quality sandwiches, so I set out to discover which would put a bigger smile on my face: Taylor Gourmet or SUNdeVICH.
I ventured into ultra-modern, industrial-styled Taylor Gourmet on 14th Street (1908 14th St., N.W.) a handful of times and the similarly stylish City Vista location (485 K St., N.W.) once. Longtime friends and owners Casey Patten and David Mazza brought the flavors of their native Philadelphia to D.C. by opening Taylor Gourmet when they could not find the hoagies they had grown to love anywhere in the city. Their first location opened in 2007 in the Atlas District (116 H St., N.E.).
The basis of a Taylor sandwich (unless you choose to have it on wheat) is the toasted sesame hoagie bread inspired by Sarcone’s Bakery in Philadelphia. I found the bread a good start for the sandwich, although on a couple occasions it was stale. My favorite sandwich was the Philadelphia Landfill, which has roasted turkey, roasted ham, Genoa salami, roasted red peppers and sharp provolone. Of course, this, and most sandwiches are topped with lettuce, tomato and onion. I opted for no lettuce since I despise crunchy water. You can taste the freshness of this meaty sandwich, and the toppings add a burst of texture and flavor. My husband enjoyed his 9th Avenue Italian sub, but I found the Girard Avenue pork sandwich bland and the Penn Quarter breaded chicken cutlet sandwich dry. The Callowhill spicy meatball sub was surprisingly flavorful and is an excellent option if you are craving a hot sub. I also recommend the fried risotto balls because their deep fried cheesy goodness is amazing, but be warned they do not fit into your weight loss plan.
SUNdeVICH (1314 9th St., N.W.) is a gem in the Naylor Court alley on Ninth Street between N and O streets, N.W. SUNdeVICH wants to deliver patrons non-traditional sandwiches with worldly flavors and local ingredients. The chalkboard menu is filled with sandwich names like the Capri, the Havana, the Isfahan, the Kingston and the Madrid, all of which I have now tried, and thoroughly enjoyed.
The Madrid has chorizo and chimichurri on SUNdeVICH’s crispy-crusted sub bread. The sandwich is complex with sweet, rich, and spicy flavors all dancing on your tongue in perfect harmony. I eventually stopped devouring it long enough to try the Isfahan, which is a soufflé of spinach, mushroom, walnuts and barberry with tzatziki (strained yogurt, garlic, cucumber, mint and dill). The soufflé is served sliced into thin strips and the subtle and exquisitely fresh house made tzatziki adds the perfect degree of tanginess. This option changes your expectations of a sandwich. Another favorite was the impeccable balance of spicy and sweet with the jerk chicken and pineapple salsa on the Kingston. Each sandwich at SUNdeVICH is crafted to give customers a unique flavor experience and each sandwich I tried delivered.
It is hard to compare these two sandwich shops; each one fills its own sandwich niche. In my opinion, SUNdeVICH won the head-to-head taste test with its unique and worldly offerings. Taylor Gourmet, however, delivers the best cold-cut sandwiches I have had so far in this city. Taylor Gourmet had me smiling, but SUNdeVICH altered my sandwich reality and had me grinning from ear to ear (even as I was finishing my leftovers two days later).
The DC Center for the LGBTQ Community, SMYAL and Rainbow Families sponsored Gay Day at the Zoo on Sunday at the Smithsonian National Zoo. The Smithsonian marked International Family Equality Day with special exhibits and an event space.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Covering Gay Day at the Zoo for @WashBlade . Here at @NationalZooDC pic.twitter.com/LqgGNOOAiM
— Michael Patrick Key (@MichaelKeyWB) May 5, 2024
Photos
PHOTOS: Taste of Point
Annual fundraiser held for LGBTQ youth scholarship, mentorship organization
The Point Foundation held its annual Taste of Point fundraiser at Room & Board on May 2.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Theater
Miss Kitty tackles classical mythology in ‘Metamorphoses’
Folger production seen through the lens of the African diaspora
‘Metamorphoses’
May 7-June 16
Folger Theatre
201 East Capitol St., S.E.
$20-$84
Folger.edu
Miss Kitty’s words are thoughtful and measured, occasionally punctuated by flamboyant flourishes and uplifting proclamations. Her tried and tested tagline is “live in fierce not fear.”
She describes herself as “AMAB (assigned male at birth), nonbinary, genderqueer, transfemme” as well as “chanteuse, noble blacktress, and dancer.”
Currently, Miss Kitty is testing her talents in Mary Zimmerman’s “Metamorphoses” at Folger Theatre on Capitol Hill.
At 90 minutes, “Metamorphoses,” is made up of interwoven vignettes from classical mythology including the tales of Midas and his daughter, Alcyone and Ceyx, and Eros and Psyche.
“It’s all stories that relate to the human condition: the follies, the happiness, the love, the loss,” Miss Kitty explains. “And a thorough knowledge of mythology isn’t a requirement for enjoyment.”
The language is contemporary and with its 11-person ensemble cast – comprised exclusively of Black or indigenous people of color – they’re adding their own spin to its present-day feel, she adds.
In Zimmerman’s famously staged premiere production, the actors performed in and around a pool of water. At Folger, director Psalmayene 24 has ditched actual aquatics; instead, he suggests the element by introducing Water Nymph, a new character constructed around Miss Kitty.
Water Nymph doesn’t speak, but she’s very visible from the opening number and throughout the play on stage and popping up in unexpected places around the venue.
“It’s a lot of dancing; I haven’t danced the way Tony Thomas is choreographing me in a very long time. At 40, can she still make theater with just my body as her instrument?
The name “Miss Kitty” was born over a decade ago.
Miss Kitty recalls, “She was still presenting as male and going by her dead name. Someone commented that with the wig she was wearing for a part, she looked like Eartha Kitt whom she deeply admires.”
Her penchant for illeism (referring to oneself in third person) isn’t without good reason. She explains, “It’s to reiterate that however she might look, she’s always there; and if you misgender, she will let you know.”
Initially, the moniker was a drag persona at Capital Pride or the occasional fabulous cabaret performance at a nightclub.
But as time passed, she realized that Miss Kitty was something she couldn’t take off. She had always been a part of her.
“She’s helped me to grow and flourish; she’s given me the strength that I never would have had before. I’m so proud of myself for realizing that before it was too late.”
Bringing Miss Kitty into her theatrical career presented some concerns. Would theater folks be open to the new her, especially those she’d worked with before?
Not always, but she’s found new companies who’ve welcomed Miss Kitty with open arms including Avant Bard, Spooky Action Theater, and now Folger.
Last fall, Miss Kitty appeared in Spooky Action’s Agreste (Drylands), a stunning queer story penned by gay Brazilian playwright Newton Moreno.
After being invited to audition and reading the script, Miss Kitty was determined to be a part of the production.
A work dealing with love and being trans, and transphobia, and how people can turn on a dime once they learn the truth about someone, resonated deeply with the actor.
“The play speaks to the idea that if people just let people be who they are and love who they want to love we’d all be a lot happier,” she says.
For her sublime efforts, Miss Kitty nabbed a Helen Hayes Award nomination in the Outstanding Lead Performer category (winner to be determined on Monday, May 20 during a ceremony at The Anthem).
It’s her first time nominated and first time attending. She’s thrilled.
Miss Kitty grew up in Oxen Hill, Md., and now lives near Washington Harbor. Her entry into performance was through music followed by high school plays. She graduated from Catholic University with a degree in music/concentration in musical theater, and from there dove directly into showbiz.
Looking back, Miss Kitty says, “being a person of color AND queer can be a double whammy of difficulty. You have to live in light and do the things you’re afraid to do. That’s the game changer.”
Presenting “Metamorphoses” through the lens of the African diaspora (the cast also includes Jon Hudson Odom and Billie Krishawn, among others) helps us to realize that every story can be universal, especially for marginalized people — South Asian, Native American, or fully queer perspectives, she says.
“Having an all-Black ensemble opens all new worlds for everyone.”
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