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DC FOODIES CRAFT EDIBLE ART IN BUENOS AIRES

By Lynda Soady, WAL Resident

What do you say when your Cris, a U.S. citizen with El
son and his wife tell you they Salvadorian heritage, is the
are quitting their jobs to open a behind-the-scenes marketing
restaurant with plans to drive person for the restaurant. She
from their DC metro area also does online translation
home to South America in a work and in her ‘spare time,’
red camper truck? That was Cris enjoys Flamenco danc-
exactly the case for Bob and ing.
Lynda Soady in 2014. One
day, Dave, their son, and his For Foodies Only
wife Cris, whom he met at Po- This is not a standard fare
tomac Valley Brick—the com- restaurant. It is for “foodies.”
pany who supplied brick to Dave calls it, “Cocina de
build Watergate at Land- Aventura,” which means
mark—several years ago, Kitchen of Adventure. His
shared this dream with us. Alt- goal is to introduce people to
hough they were excited for new flavors and new ingredi-
them, it was a shock to hear ents, often with a Latinx
that they were actually going origin.
to leave the life they’ve known
behind! It wasn’t easy keeping Bob and I visit once or twice
track of where they were, but a year and enjoy the creativi-
at least we were able to track ty of the kitchen. All the
them on the map thanks to food is made from scratch
modern technology. and presented as art. Dave
incorporated food ideas that
How The Restaurant 13 WAL residents Bob (on the right) and Lynda Soady (not he gleaned along the journey
Fronteras Began pictured) spending time at a park not too far from the to Argentina. He does a tast-
Dave, Cris, and their two Shih restaourant with 13 Fronteras owners David and Cris ing menu event from time-to-
Tzu dogs did follow their Soady along with Willie, one of the dogs who came with time that is a big hit, and if
dream and are alive and well them. you can catch a flight you
in Buenos Aires, Argentina. can try the one happening
They celebrated a one-year anniversary of their restaurant later this month! But don’t just take our word for it.
13 Fronteras on December 9, 2018. The name comes
from the 13 borders they crossed on their road trip to Ar- Don’t Take Our Word For It
gentina. Though they are 12 borders, they had to cross the A few other WAL residents journeyed to 13 Fronteras for
Mexican border twice! That’s because the border patrol a dining experience. Katherine Lee in Building 3 was one
agents were so busy inspecting the camper loaded with of them and she was there the first week he opened. She
things needed for life and for the restaurant that they was going on a cruise and made a special effort to eat
planned to open that they left
without getting a stamp for their
passports! From Watergate to Argentina...one couple’s
“Cocina de Aventura” (Kitchen of adventure)
The logo for 13 Fronteras is a
play on the DC license plate,
with three stars and two horizontal knives in place of the there. She said eating at 13 Fronteras was, “an amazing
bars. Many visitors to the area see the logo, stop in to eat, dining experience! It has an exciting menu, exquisite fla-
and ask “Are you from DC?” Then Dave tells the story of vors, and delightful restaurant owners – definitely an ex-
how they got where they are and shows off his tattoo. perience to remember and to repeat! I didn’t have a lot of

Page 12 Wheel March 2019