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From a defunct six-bay car wash to diverse six-bay mini-food-and-beverage-hall, The Wash ranks as one of the most creative —and flavor-packed— repurposed buildings in the city.
Developer Tyler Cauble designed it for chefs desiring to test a concept, or affordably transition from food truck to bricks and mortar. Each 380 square foot bay contains a certified commercial kitchen and service area. Five independent minority-owned eateries and one cocktail bar comprise The Wash, with each drawing from cuisines around the world to serve up distinctive food and drink.
In Bay 1, you’ll find Two Peruvian Chefs. Roberto Bernabe and Marcio Florez first became known for their pristine ceviche bowls from their food truck of a similar name. Next is Soy Cubano, run by Javier Salado, who makes, without question, the best Cuban sandwich in the city. At The Poki in Bay 3, chef Kelvin Tran elevates his Hawaiian poke bowls with a profusion of Japanese and Korean ingredients. Fourth is the dynamic trio of Drew Dunston, Jeremy Young, and Megan Valigura who preside over Tootsie
Lou’s Tacos, named after a beloved pet mutt, the company’s “Queen Bitch” and spirit animal. Gracie Nguyen of East Side Banh Mi launched ESP—East Side Pho in Bay 5. Her bowls of the Vietnamese soup are prepared with the same expertise as her baguette-filled delicacies. Lastly is Bay 6: a snug bar serving select draft cocktails, wine, and beer. Owner and barkeep Beau Gaultier concocts an array of libations that mesh well with the international dishes. Running the outside length of The Wash is a pleasant, light- strung dining terrace—one end sports a sheltered seating area, in case of rain; at the other is a fireplace, that will be welcome, no doubt, much later in the year. Order at one of the eateries or get a smattering of dishes from several to share. Get it to dine on-site, or to-go. Either way, go! (Check their websites, as service hours vary.)
Here’s a sampling of the delectable fare you’ll enjoy. At Two Peruvian Chefs, Lomo Saltado is a luscious, traditional Peruvian entree of sautéed strips of sirloin, onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and—surprisingly—fries. We also recommend the Chaufa: fried rice with eggs, scallions, and Peruvian-Oriental sauce, to which you can add beef, chicken, or vegetables. And diners take note: the Crispy Pork Belly sandwich is the bomb.
Javier Salado makes a complex rub of spices and sour orange for his Mojo pork shoulder, which appears on a terrific pressed Cuban sandwich, or as an entree, in a mound of pulled meat over black beans and rice. He finishes the platter with yuca and fried sweet plantain. His Cafecito, true Cuban coffee—robust and sweet—will lift your day, at any hour. At The Poki, you can design your own poke bowl from a vast roster of grains, proteins, vegetables, toppings, and oils. Like the other restaurants, vegetarian and vegan options are offered. One of the signature bowls, Gangham Spicy Tuna has nice chunks of the fish napped in gochujang, assembled with cuts of English cucumber, green onion, French breakfast radishes, sprinkled with crispy garlic chips and furikake.
Tacos abound in our city, but Tootsie Lou’s are like no other we’ve had. For starters, they nixtamalize and grind their corn to make the tortillas. They also make their own crema, as well as several seed-based salsas. The fried sweet potato taco is a revelation: meaty and boosted with queso fresco, jalapeño, and pumpkin seed salsa. Don’t pass over the Masa Papas: fried potato nuggets encrusted in masa and spiked with salsa matcha, crema, onion, and cilantro.
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Gracie Nguyen has designed a menu featuring an array of Pho and Not Pho. We love the traditional Pho Bo, made with rich clear beef bone broth ladled with Bear Creek Farm brisket and rare top round, rice noodles, and an abundance of fresh herbs, chili, and lime. We look forward to trying her Spicy Pork Noodles, the fat rice pasta combined with ground pork, cucumber, and chili-peanut sauce. Beau Gaultier is originally from Louisiana and has relished the tiny bars in which he’s both frequented and poured. His Bay 6 takes its inspiration from those joints, and this is the one bay with a few seats inside. In addition to classic cocktails, he fashions some unique ones to complement The Wash’s international fare. Case in point: his Back to Bay 6 blends vodka with ginger, toasted coconut, lime, and lemongrass soda for a refreshing summer sip.
(The Wash, 1101 McKennie Ave., 615-777-9332; eatwash.com)