Famous Roast Beef

On a rainy Good Friday we decided against hanging out at home and watching Comcast On Demand, instead opting to make a trek downtown to enjoy a long-held DC lunch tradition: Hodge's Sandwich Shop, a sweltering hole (even on a temperate day) lodged on a gritty corner of New York Avenue.

A few weeks ago, AC chronicled its carved meat glories for DCist: "Famous Roast Beef". The owner was lounging about out front and could instantly tell that we were exhibiting an unusual amount of interest in his establishment. He started prattling on about how Hodge's is a "historic landmark". He said that he bought Hodge's about 30 years ago, but that it would likely be swept away in the next year or two in the ongoing revitalization of "Mt. Vernon Triangle."

Despite his awareness of its historicity (it's been around since 1898 in at least two locations), the owner said that he was unlikely to re-open Hodge's in another location, as the investment in new equipment would be substantial.

The roast beef sandwich was expertly carved and piled high, requiring only a squeeze or two of horseradish sauce. The roast beef is only available medium or well-done. Oh, and the best thing about Hodge's is the carver will ask if you want the bread dipped in jus for each sandwich, and then skim each bun across the surface of the roasting pan. That's right: hooray for ham jus and turkey jus.

Though Hodge's seems to have established its reputation with its roast beef sandwich, we were even more blown away by its Friday special, a "smoked baked ham" sandwich. Thick slabs of ham were appropriately sweet, smoky, and salty. No condiments needed.

The seemingly pedestrian turkey sandwich was quite a dark horse. We got there in the late afternoon, so only part of a turkey leg and a few remnants of meat were left in the roasting pan. Nevertheless, the carver ably assembled an estimable sandwich. The meat was tender and savory, and the celery and herbs swimming in the juices in the roasting pan clearly indicated that some Thanksgiving style effort went into this bird.

The sides, sadly, were underwhelming. The mac 'n' cheese and butter beans were woefully bland. Though others have testified to passable collard greens, we think you should skip the sides and save space for at least one, possibly two of those sandwiches. And they have sweet tea to ease the digestion.

Shuffle on over to Hodge's on a lazy Friday afternoon to sample all three of these sandwiches. It's open 'till around 3:30, but you'll want to make it there no later than 1:30 since they're severly depleted after the lunch time rush. There are a few tables under an awning if you're into braving whatever passersby New York Avenue might throw at you.

Hodge's Sandwich Shop
616 New York Ave NW
Washington, DC
(202) 628-0606

—AC & AK