Zaytinya, Washington D.C.

 

Zaytinya on Urbanspoon

 

Food: ☆☆☆☆☆

Service: ☆☆☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

Must try: Any mezze, Kabab platter, Lamb special

 

 

 Zaytinya is José Andres’s masterpiece in Washington DC.

Set in a striking space, Zaytinya offers modern mezze dishes from the cuisines of Greece, Turkey and Lebanon. The small plate fare here is exceptional. Dishes crafted with zesty vegetables, tender meats and a perfect balance of spices really keep both the palate and the soul gleaming.

The service was outstanding. Our dishes were brought in and whisked away with a gracious efficiency and the quickly disappearing basket of warm pita bread and drinks were constantly replenished throughout our meal. Everyone from our waiter to the maitre d’ kept tabs on how our meal was progressing. The head chef Michael Costa even created a special spicy dip just for us when we asked for a side of hot sauce.

My experience at Zaytinya was near flawless. Other than a slightly chewy octopus dish, there wasn’t a bite or a moment that I didn’t relish at Zaytinya.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

HOMMUS

 

 

TZATZIKI

 

 

BABA GHANNOUJE

 

 

FATTOUSH

 

 

BANTIJAN BIL LABAN

 

 

SEASONAL WILD MUSHROOMS

 

 

FALAFEL

 

SPANAKOPITA

 

 

KEBAB PLATTER

 

 

PEYNIRLI PIDE

 

 

OCTOPUS SANTORINI

 

 

LAMB KLEFTICO

 

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Zaytinya
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American New / American Traditional
* Street Address
701 9th St NW , Washington, DC 20001
* Phone
(202) 638-0800
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Sweet Themez, Washington D.C.

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Etete, Washington D.C.

 

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Etete means “mama” in Amharic, which is a perfect name for this Ethiopian eatery. The food served in this homey café feels just like it came out of a “mamas” kitchen.

 In fact, just about everything about this stand out spot in “Little Ethiopia” reminds you of home – from the warmth of the servers to the ease of the patrons dining there. It feels like everyone is part of one big family.

 The food is served family style on a large round steel platter, covered with an injera (a spongy bread). The injera is laden with different colored spiced vegetables, gravies and meats. The food is rich with wonderful flavors and textures that are eaten by hand using ripped bits of injera that scoop the gravies. One can easily go through a heap of injeras without even realizing it!

 Do try their sambusas ( lentil filled pasties), which are delicious as is their rich Yemisir Wat ( red lentils).

 The food at Etete is very authentic and definitely worth a try.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

Special Vegetarian Combination

 

 

Lentil Sambusa

 

 

Injera

 

Dore Wat (Spicy Chicken)

 

 

Goden Tibs

 

 

Yeataklit Wat

 

 

Yemisir Wat

 

 

Tekil Gomen

 

 

Tegabino Shiro

 

 

Gomen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Etete
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
Ethiopian
* Street Address
1942 9th St NW (between N T St & N Florida Ave), Washington, DC 20001
* Phone
(202) 232-7600
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Founding Farmers, Washington D.C.

 

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Food: ☆☆☆½ 

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

Must try: Fried chicken Egg Waffles, Stuffed French Toast, Fresh squeezed juices

 

Founding Farmers is an eco-friendly, Certified Green Restaurant that was built from recycled and reclaimed products. This upscale, farmhouse styled eatery is housed within the International Monetary Fund (IMF) building.

 At Founding Farmers, the menu offers American classics made from locally sourced and sustainably farmed products. The food here is very good. The freshness of the ingredients used reflects in the exquisite taste of their dishes. You must try their fresh juices the cranberry was really zesty.

 However for me the spot lacked soul. Everything from the service to the space seems cold and distant which didn’t gel with all its wonderful methodology. Everything seemed too pristine.

 I found that Founding Farmers is more a chic farmhouse accented restaurant that is just green enough for the suit types. For me, I would rather go hang at a more bohemian space like Busboys and Poets where the essence enfolds the place.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

Crabs Cake Eggs Benedict

 

 

Fried Chicken, Eggs and Waffles

 

 

Stuffed French Toast

 

 

Farmhouse Waffles

 

Pastrami Hash

 

Farmers Lemonade

 

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Founding Farmers
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American New / American Traditional
* Street Address
1924 Pennsylvania Ave NW ((between N H St & N 19th St) ), Washington, DC 20006
* Phone
(202) 822-8783
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Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian, Washington D.C.

 

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Food: ☆☆☆ 

Ambiance: ☆☆☆

Cost: $$

“Mitsitam” means “ Let’s Eat” in the language of the Delaware and Piscataway people. This is an apt name for the wonderful Native Foods Cafe
 at The National Museum of the American Indian

This museum café serves food with a difference. Featuring Native American cuisines from the Americas, this café has several food stations showcasing food from five different regions – Northern Woodlands, Mesoamerica, South America, Northwest Coast and the Great Plains.

 Executive Chef Richard Hetzler 
is constantly tweaking the menu as the seasons change. You can sample dishes such as Maple Brined turkey, Purple Potato soup or buffalo chili as entrees. Desserts offer Mayan Chocolate cake, Tres Leches and Blueberry Wajapias.

 The Mitsitam Café is a wonderful spot to take a break from all that sightseeing and sample cuisine with a difference.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Mitsitam Cafe
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American Traditional
* Street Address
4th St & Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20560
* Phone
(202) 633-1000
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Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café, Washington D.C.

 

 

Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe on Urbanspoon

 

Food: ☆☆½ 

Service: ☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆

Cost: $$

Kramerbooks & Afterword’s Cafe is a Washington D.C institution. Conveniently located right by the DuPont Circle train station, this independent Bookstore/Cafe begins buzzing from early morning until the wee hours of the morning.

They are open 7 days a week featuring breakfast, lunch, dinner menus with a full service bar. On weekends they feature a brunch menu are open 24 hours on Friday and Saturday nights. They have live entertainment Wednesdays through Saturdays from 8 Pm onwards.

The brunch at Afterword’s Café was ordinary – nothing stellar. The plate of bread/ pastry was stale. The service was unexpectedly gruff and indifferent. Nothing would take me back here.

It seems to me that a place like Kramerbooks & Afterword’s Café does well regardless of quality just because of its great location and reputation. Perhaps hanging here with the hipsters in the evenings would provide for a better experience…

Here is some of what we ate:

 

Pastries

 

Bay Bridge Crab Omelette

 

 

Organic Mushroom Omelette

 

 

The Café Benedicts with Crab Cake

 

 

Pancakes

 

Homefries


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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe & Grill
* Overall
★★☆☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American New / American Traditional
* Street Address
1517 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036
* Phone
(202) 387-1400
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Busboys and Poets, Washington D.C.

 

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Food: ☆☆☆½ 

Service: ☆☆☆

Ambiance: ☆☆☆☆

Cost: $$$

Must try: Crab cake Sandwiches and home home-fries

 

 Busboys and Poets is an inspired, bohemian bookstore/Cafe/ Lounge, which propounds progressive political ideologies. 

 This cheery cafe has been brilliantly decorated by carving out comfortable spaces with lounge chairs and sofas amongst walls that are adorned with multi-ethnic art and photographs. Everything here murmurs towards creativity and activism.

 

 

There are regularly scheduled poetry jams, film screenings and other shows in the Langston Room, which is a performance space. Here, one can sip on a variety of coffees or nibble on sizable portions of affordable, tasty platters of food

 

 

Busboys and Poets was named in honour of Langston Hughes (one of my favourite poets), who worked as a busboy in the 1920s whilst writing poems on the side.

 

 

 Busboys and Poets is a perfect spot for its diverse clientele to gather together to eat great food whilst being inspired to act.

 

Here is some of what we ate:

 

 Classic Benedict

 

 

Neptune Benedict with Cheese Grits

 

 

Mekhleme

 

 

Oaxaca Omelette

 

 

Crab Cake Sandwich

 

 

Falafel Sandwich

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Restaurant Information


* Restaurant Name
Busboys and Poets
* Overall
★★★☆☆
* Neighborhood / Cuisine
American Traditional
* Street Address
2021 14th St NW ((between N V St & N U St) ), Washington, DC 20009
* Phone
(202) 387-7638
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