5/5 stars
I don’t mean to diminish the educational and cultural merit of the National Museum of the American Indian, but I feel it is my duty to highlight the absolute best part of this institution: its food.
Located right within the museum’s doors, the Mitsitam Cafe is a delectable surprise for all of its visitors. The cafe contains five food stations, each showcasing indigenous foods found throughout five subsets of the Western hemisphere: the Northern Woodlands, South America, the Northwest Coast, Mesoamerica and the Great Plains.
I found myself at the cafe by chance. As a counselor for Georgetown’s summer program for high-school students, three of my colleagues and I were assigned to chaperone 100 kids for an afternoon. At first, the prospect of spending my day in the museum seemed boring and uninviting. Upon entering the Mitsitam Cafe, however, my disposition took a turn for the better. Fumes of spiced entrees and sweet pastries permeated every square inch of the restaurant, enticing every visitor’s appetite.
Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria-style cafe detract from the delicious experience. Admittedly, the hoards of people standing in line at the five stations and the extensive menus can be a lot to take in. After circling the stations about a dozen times, I opted to first fill my tray with food fromMesoamerica: chicken, pumpkin seed and goat cheese mole served in a tortilla.
Next, I stopped at the Northern Woodlands Region for some chilled melon soup with a wild goat cheese fritter. My friends questioned my decision to try the soup, but I was so intrigued by the unusual dish that I had to try it. Lastly, I stood in line for some fry bread with honey and cinnamon from the Great Plains station.
After standing in line again at the cashier and finding a table, I dug in. Expectedly, the chilled melon soup with wild goat cheese fritter was unlike anything I have ever eaten before. The broth tasted like the freshest piece of cantaloupe I have ever had. Dolloped in the center, the goat cheese fritter seemed to be a questionable addition to the soup at first. However, its earthy tang and fried outer layer soon proved its merit by meshing perfectly with the sweet, fluid broth.
To my surprise, the chicken, pumpkin seed and goat cheese mole was probably my least favorite part of the meal, although it was still delicious. I offer a warning to those interested in any of the spicier options at Mitsitam Cafe: There’s really no such thing as mild offered on the menu. Although I am a resident of a town in New Jersey with a strong Hispanic presence and have built up quite a resistance to pungent salsas, the salsa served with the mole was still a shock to my taste buds.
On the bus ride over to the museum, one of my students repeatedly raved about fry bread that she had once tried with her mother at the museum a few months prior. I had dismissed her repeated praise as strong exaggeration. Let me take this opportunity to formally apologize for not taking her seriously. The fry bread with honey and cinnamon was one of the most amazing desserts I have ever had. It was like funnel cake but fluffier, warmer and with honey and cinnamon: heaven.
My colleagues were as satisfied with their meals as I was. My boss opted for the cedar planked wild salmon with cherry compote, which she described as the ideal amalgamation of sweet, tart and fishy tastes. Despite a disinclination to tackle spicy dishes, she finished her very spicy grilled spring squash mix in seconds. Everyone was satisfied with their different dishes, from the fish to desserts.
Luckily for Georgetown students, the National Museum of the American Indian is relatively close and offers both the opportunity to get your cultural fill for the day, as well as sample delicacies like the house ground buffalo and duck burger, the passion fruit and coconut flan and the blue corn bread.
Mitsitam Cafe blows all other museum cafeterias out of the water. With multiple awards under its belt,Mitsitam Cafe is worth the trip and is the perfect excuse to venture down to the Smithsonian.
