A Few Hours ... in Brookland

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For this installment of A Few Hours ... Express' Michael Grass travels to Brookland and discovers Roman catacombs, some really tasty tater tots and plenty of free wireless Internet.

Photo of the Franciscan Monastery's Rosary Portico in Brookland by Michael Grass/Express

ALTHOUGH IT'S JUST SIX STATIONS away from Metro Center and the center of downtown, the Brookland-CUA station on the Red Line can feel like it's in the middle of Ohio. When you step out of the station and into the modest-sized commuter parking lot within view of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and Catholic University, the landscape looks pretty empty.

But there's a reason why property tax assessments have increased dramatically in parts of Ward 5. The area is home to overlooked close-in neighborhoods like Brookland that feel they're a thousand miles from D.C. And this part of the city is poised to see increased development in the coming years. The 12th Street NE corridor — the area's main drag — has its own Main Street initiative, aimed to improve the streetscape and building facades as well as draw new businesses and life to an otherwise low-key commercial strip.

Before more change comes to the neighborhood, it's worth taking a trip to Brookland on a lazy weekday or weekend afternoon to enjoy the neighborhood as it is right now — an in-the-city refuge far removed from the frenzied nature of downtown. If you're seeking a quick escape within the District line, nobody will find you in Brookland.

» ILLY COFFEE AND ARISTOTLE: Before you enter Cafe Sureia, you might want to take a look to see if there's room for you; the modest-sized coffee shop can get awfully crowded. Two Saturdays ago, this writer had to cozy up to a pile of Epoch Times newspapers at a tight front-window counter seat. A friend who tagged along on another visit noted that the cafe's coffee was top-notch. It should be. It's Italy's famed Illy. The small selection of pastries and sandwiches are solid, with the Mediterranean chicken salad as a reliable choice.

The cafe's snug surroundings are an asset, though. Here you aren't going to find customers whipping through their BlackBerries between meetings. Instead, you'll overhear Catholic University faculty discussing Aristotle or, as was the case on Monday morning, a man from Congo coaching a student in French. This is a place to take that book you've been meaning to get through. Or, if reality needs attention, there's free wireless Internet. The cafe is two blocks from the Metrorail station, so while 12th Street NE may seem like a place far, far away, the distance is really inconsequential. (But don't go at night; like most places in Brookland, the shop closes up in the early evening.)

» Cafe Sureia, 3629 12th St. NE at Otis Street, 202-269-9444

» A HILLTOP MONASTERY: Just up the hill from Cafe Sureia, you'll find one of the District's most off-the-beaten path landmarks — one that was never meant to be so obscure. In the 1890s, the Very Reverend Charles Vassani and Father Godfrey Schilling bought an old estate in Brookland with the aim of turning it into a "Holy Land in America." It became the Franciscan Monastery and Church at Mount St. Sepulchre, and today it's become one of those places locals wish they knew more about.

On the grounds of the monastery, church and gardens, you'll find re-creations of the Roman Catacombs and other early Christian shrines, like the Grotto of Bethlehem. You'll also come across items from the catacombs, including the relics of St. Benignus. The recreated catacombs are actually quite small in comparison to the real thing in Rome, but it might be the next best thing.

The Romanesque-style cloister is worth close inspection. Want to know what the Lord's Prayer looks like in ancient Etruscan script (at left)? How about "New Zealandic" ... ? Translations line the route of the beautiful cloister, which will only get more beautiful as spring approaches. Barring the occasional tour group, you're likely to have the place to yourself.

Regular tours are given seven days a week. Get more information here.

» Franciscan Monastery, 14th and Quincy streets NE, 202-526-6800

» TATER TOTS, A BEER AND A BLT: On most Saturday afternoons, bars across town are typically slow unless there's a sporting event on television. And if you're located in a strip mall in a collection of unassuming commercial buildings next to the Red Line tracks, that sluggish effect will be only amplified.

On a recent visit to Cardinal's Nest, which opened after Christmas, this writer found the bar/restaurant/coffee shop/wireless Internet lounge to be spacious and pretty empty. That's too bad: The Cardinal's Nest crew took care with the beer selection. The BLT sandwich — a simple order many eateries botch — hit the mark. And if you're one to choose tater tots over fries, you're in luck — here they're golden and crispy.

Cardinal's Nest is a needed addition to an area underserved by bars and restaurants, and until it catches on, it's a great place to seek a little solitude. Take advantage before the area is consumed by the frenzied pace of the rest of the city.

» Cardinal's Nest, 3748 10th St. NE north of Michigan Avenue, 202-269-6378