Along the Potomac

I was back again in Washington DC, but unlike my last few trips this one was for an industry event that was being held in a resort hotel on the banks of the Potomac.  The Gaylord Resort and Convention Center is a large hotel set in National Harbor, an area that is specially designed for recreational tourists.  Restaurants, shopping and waterfront bars abound, and in line with the trend now-a-days, you also have the 'Capital Wheel’ if you wish to get a bird’s eye view of this capital city.



I left the glass-encased gardens of the Gaylord hotel and walked down to the water’s edge.  Water taxis ply periodically on the Potomac; I took one to Old Town Alexandria.  This interesting little place in the nation’s capital dates back to 1749 when it was a prominent port during America’s colonial days.  Apparently, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams all had stayed here for a while.



There is a great deal of history if you take a walk:  a memorial to Confederate soldiers during the Civil War and a torpedo factory from World War times.  However, equally nice, are the small restaurants and bars that dot the picturesque streets.



I was hungry and so consulted Yelp!  The best place it pointed to was the Chart House restaurant,  a large place filled with tourists.  The place boasts great views of the waterfront and sea-food that is surprisingly good for a tourist trap!



Being a Sunday, there was a brunch menu.  Eggs for lunch is not my thing so I stayed with seafood!  I began with a crab cake.  The dish was larger than I had expected, lumpy crabmeat topped with avocado and on corn relish with herb butter.  Loved it!



For my mains, I ordered the Spiced Yellowfin Ahi Tuna.  Again, the portions were ample and the dish perfectly cooked.  Seared fresh ahi with a ginger soy sauce and wasabi cream.  The fish was placed on a bed of perfectly crafted mound of wasabi mashed potatoes.



I did not have any space for their much acclaimed dessert of chocolate soufflé.  I guess eating alone has more than one disadvantage.  After that filling lunch, I took another long walk through the streets before heading back to catch a water-taxi back.