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By: REBECCA L. WEBE COMMENTS
 
THE MENU AT Mark’s Kitchen is full of the sort of things that I think I
should be able to easily whip up in my own kitchen: one-bowl wonders with wholesome
ingredients.
But more often than not, I don’t make those dishes. And when I try, they
don’t come out anywhere near as tasty or nutritious. At Mark’s,
an inexpensive restaurant on Carroll Avenue in Takoma Park, Md., they always
manage to slip in one more fruit or vegetable that I not only wouldn’t
have thought to include, but that I don’t keep on hand.
This is a neighborhood joint, and those familiar with Takoma Park will not
be surprised by the diverse and casual clientele. Friendly servers will encourage
you to find a table, and make you feel like a regular even if you’re not.
The dining area is slightly cluttered but clean, with Korean-inspired art on
the walls and a cow tucked onto a shelf. A table by the register is stocked
with basic to-go treats such as ripe bananas and brownies.
The menu is such a pleasure to read that it begs the question of why so many
restaurants skimp on hiring a graphic designer and instead produce single-sheet
menus with type that requires scrutiny or, just as bad, 10-page menus that need
a bookmark.
MARK’S KITCHEN IS reasonably priced yet its menu is deftly organized —
which is no small feat, considering the number of options — with a judicious
use of layout, ample white space, font treatments, and colored symbols. Here,
meat-eaters are square.
As for its contents: the menu boasts an eclectic range of choices, from miso
soup and galbi (Korean short ribs) to turkey club sandwiches and gingerbread
ice cream sundaes.
Before I moved to D.C., I lived near a Korean deli and got hooked on bi bam
bap; MK serves up the best bowl I’ve found yet in the area.
Order this intensely satisfying bowl of rice and shredded veggies (including
spinach, sprouts, and carrots) that have been marinated in sesame oil with a
fried egg or with Korean steak. Either way, pour the spicy red bean paste sauce
on top and gently mix the contents from the bottom up.
Tofu lovers should try the spinach tofucakes, which also feature shiitake mushrooms
and red peppers, and have a consistency more like a potato-veggie pancake. Served
on a small bed of rice and under a bevy of mixed greens, the cakes are topped
with small chunks of mango and raspberry soy sauce.
For the indecisive and/or hungry, try the sampler boxes. In addition to tofu,
chicken, or fish, bites of honey soybeans, roast seaweed, and shiitake mushrooms
arrive in a typical sang dinner box.
A lengthy list of sides and extras allows inexpensive customization with such
choices as steamed asparagus, edamame, garlic bread, and focaccia.
Mark’s Kitchen doesn’t have any drinks stronger than espresso,
but it does feature a long list of coffees, teas and juices. On a recent blustery
day, the hot spiced apple cider hit the spot.
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