maydan
1346 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 370-3696
what was consumed: a little for each of the sections (from the kitchen, from the fire, spreads, and kebabs). and all of the condiments.
we figured this would be enough food for us (and it was. there were 6 ladies at this dinner), though i will have to say that the lamb shoulder looked pretty delicious (and pretty huge).
i had heard a lot of hubbub about maydan soon after it opened. and then after michele obama dined at maydan, trying to get a reservation was not only necessary, it because almost impossible (mind you, we were looking for a table for 6. yes. a larger group). but we persevered and were able to snag a reservation for one of our ladies' nights out.
we ordered a variety of dishes, all of which we proceeded to spread on warm bread (that the servers will keep bringing) until we were filled to the gills. they have some more typical middle eastern dishes (which i miss, oh so much, as i consumed so much of it while in kuwait) and others that had more fusion-ish twists. there wasn't anything we had that we didn't polish off by the end of the meal.
note: we took the advice of all the online articles and ordered all of the condiments (and we were glad that we did!). we didn't finish them off, and we definitely had our favorites. it was fun to try all of the different flavors, see what was popular among our group, and mix and match the different bits.
if you haven't yet, be sure to keep an eye out for reservations that become available at maydan. you're in for a delicious treat!
online: maydandc.com/
spark engine 12
1626 North Capitol St NW, Washington, DC 20002
tel: 202) 299-9128
what was consumed: all of the appetizers and the sides (and dessert!). we were so into them that we ended up not looking at the entrees, though the entrees looked pretty delicious as well! brisket sliders, crispy calamari, avocado beignets, fry bread, jerk wings, house smoked cheddar mac 'n cheese, a trio of sides (greens, cucumbers, and chick peas, i think) ... and ice cream push pops for dessert.
i used to drive up and down north capital and wonder what, if anything, would come into the old firehouse space. i always thought it'd be a great residence or, better yet, restaurant. so glad to see that spark engine 12 has made that come true, and that they stuck with the beautiful facade!
a bunch of us got together (one of whom is ethnically from the caribbean (i forget where, exactly - sorry!)), so we were excited to see what spark engine 12 had to offer. i will say, though, that the caribbean american friend did say that some of the dishes were just like her grandmother's cooking. that's always great to hear! be sure to make reservations - there was a bit of a wait by the time we finished our meal (we started eating on the early side).
my favorite things on the menu were probably the beignets and the mac 'n cheese. i mean, what's not to like? i do like that the beignets had avocado in them, so they produced quite a nice color (though i can't say the avocado flavor is strong). as for the mac 'n cheese, that's always good, right? but spark engine 12 used bucatini, allowing for all of the delicious cream and sauce to fill the noodles inside and out! and make sure to enjoy the spicy sauce that comes with your meal, or that you can order on the side. it's spicy and delicious.
oh, and don't forget dessert! we saw them bring out these push-pop-looking things and then proceeded to order quite a few for our table. the flavors are interesting and it's more mousse than ice cream (think could mousse). all the same, we enjoyed quite a few flavors and polished all of them off. YUM.
looking for some caribbean inspired food? definitely check out spark engine 12! can't wait to go back and try more of their offerings!
online: sparkat12.com
a baked joint
440 K St NW, Washington, DC 20001
tel: 202) 408-6985
what was consumed: pizza! i got the motherload pepperoni (#3) + arugula (no uncooked meats for me, for right now) and friend got the house (#4). i am dying to go back and try one of their breakfast biscuit sandwiches (with a runny egg! soon, friends, soon).
sister to "baked and wired" out in georgetown, i was excited about having a baked joint join the options in downtown/chinatown. and while they have loads of delicious sweets, they don't have cupcakes (my current fav!). but that's ok. because they have PIZZA.
yes, teresa's pizza is served in the evenings (be sure to check out a baked joint's website for when, along with their hous) and the pizza is delish. friend and i each ordered a pan, but we probably should have just ordered one for sharing (but we wanted to try the different options!) we both took home about half of our pizzas, and i for one was happy to enjoy teresa's the next day. the crust is thick and the toppings are plenty. you will not be disappointed!
online: https://abakedjoint.com/
dolan uyghur
3518 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
tel: 202) 686-3941
what was consumed: samsa, mom's laghman, lamb kebab skewers, goshnan, fried eggplant, spring lamb, and dolan cake (not pictured) and bakkali for dessert
have you ever had uyghur food? i hadn't (or didn't know that i had. maybe i had something similar while in seoul). let's be real, i didn't know a whole lot about uyghur history/culture/society (to include recent issues) ... but my curiosity was piqued. so when friends suggested uyghur food for dinner, i was totally on board.
per my friends, the most common uyghur dish are the kebabs, usually lamb, that are covered in spices, usually cumin, grilled and then served. along with the kebabs are hand pulled noodles, often topped with sauteed meat and veggies often in a tomato based sauce. i think i can eat these noodles all day (but, you know, i am having a love affair with noodles). the staff at dolan uyghur are really helpful and were open to giving us recommendations (the server was one who calls uyghur food "food" ). i could go for some of those noodles right about now ...
online: http://www.dolanuyghur.com/
taqueria nacional
1409 T St NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 299-1122
what was consumed: tacos!
a friend once told me that if his wife is every invited out by her girlfriends for mexican food, that everyone should just also expect him to be in attendance. i know the feeling, friend! tex mex is definitely a comfort food for me, and i'm always happy and willing to check out the new places that are (thankfully) popping up.
i met up with a friend at taqueria nacional (not to be confused with some of the other taquerias in the DC metro area) for a late lunch. i opted for the meal deal (that included a taco, beans, and salad) in addition to an order of salsa. and while the food was delicious (the carne asada was cooked nicely, the beans were seasoned well, the dressing on the salad was just so yummy), it was a little pricey for what i ordered. of course, that didn't stop me from ordering away. next time, i want to try some of their other things. i'm sure i'll be happy with whatever i decide to fill my stomach with. yum!
online: http://taquerianacional.co/
brothers and sisters
1770 Euclid St NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 588-0525
what was consumed: brussel sprouts, a rice noodle dish with sausage, salmon (large plate), and a delicious desert (i think the song saa, probably our favorite and most unique thing we had)
BJL and i head to brothers and sisters for a belated celebratory dinner. i'm glad we made reservations, as so many people have been looking to the line hotel's restaurants for delicious bites (they've been getting lots of good reviews).
i've been to erik bruner-yang's other places (going back as far as his pho hot dogs that he served at u street music hall back in the day, before toki underground!), so i was excited to see what he had up his sleeve. we also happened to go on chinese new year, so a dragon dance team went through the restaurant, in celebration. that was definitely a nice final touch to our meal (though def out of the ordinary).
as for the food, i'd have to say that our dishes were pretty solid, but (honestly) nothing really surprising or out of the ordinary. i love the fusion-y aspect of the dishes, and it's fun to see some of the inventive ways chefs are putting dishes together. our dessert, in particular, was definitely noteworthy. not sure of its origins, but we definitely enjoyed that the most. the well prepared cake dotted with fruit that wasn't too sweet and topped off with a light cream. YUM.
i'm curious about the other spots at the line hotel. i'll have to check those out ... soon!
online: https://www.thelinehotel.com/dc/venues/
homestead
3911 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20011
tel: 202) 627-2371
what was consumed: brunch! so, their breakfast burrito. and delicious biscuits. and qualia coffee (though, not sure what will happen once qualia moves :( ...)
always happy to see solid eateries come to my old neighborhood. i wish homestead was there when i lived there! i'd eat their biscuits every day ...
katie and i met for brunch and were happy with homestead's selection of classic brunch foods, prepared deliciously (i only wish some sort of potato product was offered with my burrito! i should've ordered some separately, as i am wont to do). i'll have to go back one of these days and try their dinner menu (which, i hear, is also delicious). here's to hoping it becomes way more than a delicious neighborhood place!
online: http://homesteaddc.com/
supra
1205 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
tel: 202) 789-1205
what was consumed: we ordered what i've since been calling "the kristen menu." khachapuri (the one that oozes with cheese, the megruli), khinkali (2 per person), lobio kotanshi (beans from the hot menu), eggplant nigvizit (eggplant rolls with walnut), shashlik, and saperavi wine
the only other time i'd had georgian food (at a georgian restaurant) was when i visited my friend in yekaterinberg (russia). and it was delish. so excited to have an option here in DC to enjoy. that said, no one in our party knew exactly what to order. thank goodness i ran into friend kristen a few days before. she loves georgian food and had been to supra before (and came back with rave reviews). she gave us her "must eats" and favs, of which we ordered ... everything.
the ingredients were fresh, the flavors were delish, and i was in good company. will definitely have to go back to supra and try some of the other things that they offer (though the kristen menu is just so good). some complained that they thought the food was on the spendy side, especially in comparison to what you'd pay in georgia. turns out, we all complain about this (for realz, korean food in korea is way cheaper than korean food here, for the most part). so just dish out the extra few dollars and go and enjoy! you'll be glad you did.
online: https://www.supradc.com/
lucky buns
2000 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 506-1713
what was consumed: lucky bun, handcut thick chips (with delicious malt vinegar mayo!)
despite living close to adams morgan, and probably passing lucky buns a hundred times, i realized lucky buns is in the old l'enfant cafe space (when did that change? wow - i've been away for a while.
lucky buns seems to be on everyone's "must eat" list these days. i'm always up for a good burger place, and lucky buns definitely has those. some classic, some more creative. and while my burger was super delish, i can't say enough about the malt vinegar mayo that comes with the fries. i was tempted to eat all of the mayo after i polished off the fries. the housemade may is that good. oh, and next time, now that my aversion to chicken is over, i will try the spice bag. can't wait!
they have some indoor seating, but a great patio for outdoor seating. whether inside or out, be sure to try lucky buns for yourself!
online: https://www.luckybunsdc.com/
maydan
