BALKAN EXPERIENCE IN DC
Just couple of years ago few guys from Serbia opened a small restaurant in Eastern Market, SE (part of Washington DC). As I am from Serbia, I was very excited to be able to go and eat some of my favorite dishes from back home. This eclectic tavern was anything but what I expected. Eating in Serbia, home or at a restaurant is a ritual, and it takes time, lots of time. Everyone in the Balkan enjoys long lunches or dinners with friends, accompanied with enormous amount of food, drinks, and if possible, live music.
Ambar Restaurant is a new experience for residents of Washington DC, as it brings a touch of Balkan food, culture and folklore into the Nation's Capitol, but adjusts is to DC way of life. As dishes in Balkans are too big and heavy, the owners decided to present it as tapas (small plate dishes). This interesting concept, not popular in Balkans, became a great way for customers to taste different type of food from southern Europe.
The restaurant offers variety of local brandies (rakias as it's called in Balkans). This distilled and chilled "Shlivovitz" is made of different types of fruits (plums, apricots, pears, and quince) is served in unique shot glasses often called the "grandkids" (no one knows why).
