VOA标准英语2013--Pump Premium Fuel, Eat Gourmet Food at Washington Gas Station

 

Pump Premium¹ Fuel, Eat Gourmet² Food at Washington Gas Station

WASHINGTON — Imagine putting gas in your car and sitting down to a delicious meal - all in the same place. You can do that in Washington, D.C., where a combination gas station and convenience store is also serving food that’s getting rave³ reviews from customers. Fast Gourmet is doing a booming business.

Fast Gourmet is the one stop shop for Christina Wilkie, who fills her car with gas, buys candy, and then orders a sandwich. She lives nearby and considers Fast Gourmet a hidden gem⁴.

“The food here is amazing. This place gets voted the best sandwich in Washington year after year. There are sandwiches that you wouldn’t expect like the chivito, which is steak, ham, eggs, cheese and olives. There are wonderful high quality ingredients,” said Wilkie.

Co-owners Lina Chovil, from Colombia, and her Argentine husband, Fernando Almiron, opened their gourmet gas station three years ago. Chovil said they drew upon their experiences back home where it's common to get good food from street vendors⁵ and at gas stations.

"What we want to serve is gourmet street food appealing to different cultures. We felt that the gas station would be a nice way to introduce a different way of dining to the Washington area," said Chovil.

High marks for fresh food

Fast Gourmet is in what is now a trendy neighborhood known as the U Street Corridor. Once a crime-ridden area, it is continuing to be revitalized. Customers come from all walks of life.

"We get people from the government, celebrity⁶ chefs, homeless. I've seen even a really, really nice vehicle parked that you would never expect to be here at this gas station," said Chovil.

Customers and food critics give Fast Gourmet high marks for its freshly prepared food - from American-style sandwiches, to Middle Eastern inspired dishes, to Latino favorites. After hearing about the food from his customers, limousine⁷ driver Melaku Tarekegn from Ethiopia decided⁸ to try it.

"Today is my lucky day. I love it. It's so delicious," said customer Melaku Tarekegn.

Fast Gourmet cashier William Mason, known as Big Mason, loves the chicken barbecue sandwich and ate eight of them in one day. After that, it was renamed the Big Mason.

“I couldn’t stop. I ate one and so I had to eat some more. I mean, they were delicious,” he said.

International flavors

Colombian Oscar Garzon, who works nearby, often eats here. A friend brought him the first time.

“I was like 'ok, this is a gas station.' It smelled good so, all right, I'm going to order a sandwich, and the first bite I totally loved it," said Garzon.

The food brings back memories for Marlon Ulloa from El Salvador. “Reminds me of being back home making the sandwiches with the pork, ham and combining the spices and the sauces. It’s just amazing.”

Besides the food, there also is an amazing bathroom, nothing like you’ll see at other gas stations.

“You will remember it and you will come back," said Chovil.

Fast Gourmet's innovative⁹ concept is working. The gourmet gas station made money during the first year it opened, and this year will bring in more than a million dollars. 

1 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

2 gourmet   

n.食物品尝家；adj.出于美食家之手的

参考例句：

• What does a gourmet writer do? 美食评论家做什么？
• A gourmet like him always eats in expensive restaurants.像他这样的美食家总是到豪华的餐馆用餐。

3 rave   

vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬

参考例句：

• The drunkard began to rave again.这酒鬼又开始胡言乱语了。
• Now I understand why readers rave about this book.我现明白读者为何对这本书赞不绝口了。

4 gem   

n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel

参考例句：

• The gem is beyond my pocket.这颗宝石我可买不起。
• The little gem is worth two thousand dollars.这块小宝石价值两千美元。

5 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

6 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

7 limousine   

n.豪华轿车

参考例句：

• A chauffeur opened the door of the limousine for the grand lady.司机为这个高贵的女士打开了豪华轿车的车门。
• We arrived in fine style in a hired limousine.我们很气派地乘坐出租的豪华汽车到达那里。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。