Dan the Man Traverses Truxton

Among the many cartoon characters with whom I attended elementary school was a certain Dan R. From the age of perhaps seven, Dan insisted that he be called "Dan the Man," and signed all of his homework sheets "DTMR," which he often proudly exclaimed phonetically -- "Ditmer!" -- upon confirming that he had, in fact, gotten a perfect score on his long division problems.

Dan's intellect would have been far more impressive had he even the slightest shred of modesty in him. But he was determined to flaunt his gifts, however compromised their effects may have been by his habit of wearing ill-fitting sweatpants, tightly laced shoes, and t-shirts promoting various Texas sports teams. When he got really excited, he often grabbed and pinched himself at the groin, betraying his desperate need to urinate. It was difficult to afford him the hero cult he so anxiously sought.

When Dan's parents wanted him to be able to travel to school by subway unattended, they first insisted that he memorize the entire system, line by line and stop by stop. He accomplished this feat without difficulty, and became the first member of my fourth grade class capable of explaining the intricacy of transferring from the F to the 6 at Broadway-Lafayette. In fifth grade, he wagered a large sum (perhaps $20) that he could beat a female classmate in a game of one-on-one basketball. When he was shut out in a game to 21 points, it seemed clear that the myth of Dan the Man had been rendered meaningless.

Given my past experience with DTMR, I was unfairly cautious about Dan the Man's Teriyaki and Subs. On my first visit, I quickly put my bias behind me when I learned that delivery to my Eckington roost was considered feasible. I also knew that proprietor Dan deserved more of a chance to demonstrate his prowess than I had given him by ordering a sandwich.

So this time around, I decided to be a bit more adventurous, sampling the Bool Gogi, Yaki Soba, Gyoza, and spicy chicken wings. All of the above were excellent. The Soba was neither soggy nor dry and the vegetables were fresh. The glaze on the chicken wings was perfect, both sweet and tangy with enough kick to justify the dish's name. The Gyoza, while salty, were a perfect starter. The Bool Gogi was tender, mildly sweet, and generously portioned.

For a moment, it seemed as though the delivery driver had become lost in the tangled web of streets at Truxton Circle. But he emerged unscathed, swinging around past the KFC and finding me without much difficulty. Still, the cartographic confusion was enough to remind me of DTMR, and to be glad to have found at last a Dan the Man worthy of praise.

FOOD: 88
SERVICE: 92