As America’s TV news channel NBC puts it, ‘For a health-food nut, Obama sure loves his burgers.’ Since the president’s inauguration in January, Barack Obama, his family and his team have gone burger and hot dog crazy. They have made regular whistle-stop tours of some of Washington DC’s most down-at-heel fast-food outlets, from Ben’s Chili Bowl – famous for hot dogs smothered in chilli con carne – to Five Guys, a carnivorous heaven where you can pick up spicy Cajun fries and a burger with a choice of 15 free toppings for under $6.
This has surprised some Washingtonians. When the Obama family moved to the capital from Chicago, some wondered how much they would embrace their new hometown. People used to joke that Bush preferred Camp David in Maryland to the White House. The Obamas have lived all their lives in Chicago, so some suspected they would be heading back there quite often.
But the First Family have proved that not only do they enjoy Washington, they also want what the city is famous for – excellent fast food. And following the Obama ‘dog and burger trail’ is a great way to see the city (as well as packing on about six pounds). Barack and Michelle – yes, she eats burgers too – have unintentionally picked locales in the city which give you a real flavour of DC life as lived by Washingtonians. I spent four days in the city, visiting all the places they’ve been seen at.
The president’s most famous visit this year was to Ben’s Chili Bowl (1213 U Street NW), a Washington landmark that has served the best hot dogs in the city since 1958. In the 1960s, the building was right in the middle of Washington’s ‘Black Broadway’ and Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davies and Nat King Cole would all stop by. Ben’s is legendary and it’s right in the middle of a fantastic neighbourhood, packed with coffee bars and friendly locals, who insisted on high-fiving me on my Michelle Obama ‘We Can Do It’ T-shirt. The centre of race riots in the late 1960s, the U Street Corridor is once again defining itself as a vibrant, bohemian centre of the Washington music scene and the area is undergoing a slow gentrification. And if you prefer Darjeeling to hot dogs, just down the road from Ben’s is Busboys and Poets (2021 14th Street), a relaxed café and bookstore that hosts jazz and literary events.
I enjoyed Ben’s almost as much as Obama, as I faithfully ordered his favourite half-smoked chilli dog with cheese fries. Obama complained that there was no shredded cheese on his dog but I was more than happy to do without the extra calories. It was the sort of food that looks utterly disgusting but is deliciously moreish. So what was it like when the president was here? ‘Hey, it was crazy, man,’ drawled the head chef. ‘But it’s always crazy in here.’
A metro ride to Courthouse Station took me to Ray’s Hell Burger (1713 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington). Ray’s is definitely worth a visit just for the food. It’s a real spit and sawdust, minimalist place, but its clientele is more middle class than Ben’s. As I walked in, I could see the flames hitting the ceiling in the back kitchen. I went for the $6.99 Swiss cheeseburger with charred jalapeños (Joe Biden’s favourite) and left a $5 tip, just as Obama did – only realising later that this was flamboyantly generous.
A local mum treating her teenagers to burgers and cream sodas told me that she voted for Obama and loved that he came here. ‘This place had a great reputation before the president came. But everyone round here likes it that he feels he can embrace the local culture and go where ordinary people go.’
