keren

keren
1780 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 265-5764

what was consumed: ful, keren special (veggie combo #2 and side special tibsi #1 (we chose chicken))

ethiopian food is always on my list when in DC. i only regret not going to eat it enough! quite a few food blogs have mentioned keren before and while i'd passed its store front what feels like a thousand times, i only recently got to go and enjoy its wares.

i'm ashamed to admit my palate is not sophisticated enough to differentiate between ethiopian food and eritrean food. what i do know is that keren offers delicious east african treats. their ful (which i'd been introduced to while in the middle east) is warm, a little spicy, and delicious both on its own and on the crusty bread its served with. while some may describe it as being similar to chili (maybe), the spiced flavors make this a definite comfort food (and, in the middle east, often served for breakfast!). 


be sure to round out your meal with the keren special - some veggies, some protein, lots of enjera, and lots of delicious flavors.

keren, i will see you again soon! YUM.

taco bamba

taco bamba
777 I (EYE) Street NW, Washington , DC 20001 
tel: 202) 289-7377

what was consumed: nachos, carne asada taco, mexican corn

looking for a yummy mexican place? chef victor albisu's taco bamba is definitely not one to miss! with a large variety of tacos (which you can customize!), you won't be disappointment. they're a little on the pricey side, but they're oh so delicious. taco bamba also offers other delicious bites in addition to tacos, for those who are not fans (who are you, btw!? NG!!!). for sure, check out the mexican taco. i was tempted to get more than one, but ... next time!

at least in the bar area, they had a small salsa bar which we used to garnish our tacos and nachos to our hearts content. mild, medium, and hot salsa were all available and all delicious. i only regret not having more room in my stomach to enjoy them more!

they also have HH options! be sure to ask about them (when we were there, they had a HH taco special and nacho special! in addition to beverages, of course.

note, though, that it can get really loud at taco bamba. my language partner and i had to yell in order to have a conversation, but that was ok. we enjoyed the music!

online: https://www.tacobamba.com/location/chinatown/

sababa

sababa
3311 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
tel: 202) 244-6750

what was consumed: salatim (5 different started salads to include carrot salad, beetroot relish, roasted red pepper, cucumber, and garlic labne ... all delicious), charred eggplant, roasted halumi, fried cauliflower, kebab

what do i know about israeli food? bashfully, not a whole lot. so when friend k suggested a sababa dinner, i was all for it!

sababa has so many delicious bites! our server was kind and very helpful with how to navigate the menu as well as his recommendations. when you go, be sure to order the salatim - the small bites of the various salads are great on the bread they give you as well as yummy accompaniments to the rest of your meal. they're small, though, so go wild and order multiple order if you have a party of more than ... two (or, if you're me, more than one. hahaha).

sababa also has a nice upstairs patio (in addition to their well air-conditioned interior with great ambiance!). it doesn't look out onto the street, but it is wide open. so after i was able to cool off from my walk to sababa, dining in fresh air was super great. if you can, i'd suggest trying to get a seat up there!

online: https://www.sababauptown.com/

barley mac

barley mac
1600 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209
tel: 571) 800-3070

what was consumed: happy hour! bruschetta, parmigiana truffle potato skils, wagyu beef meatballs, fish tacos ... and dessert!

people say the DC/metro area is expensive (it is). but there are ways to enjoy delicious treats even if you're on a budget ... and, imo, a lot of it has to do with how savvy you are at going to delicious HHs around town. and even if you're not, if you're in arlington, be sure to stop by barley mac!

language partner and i were looking for a place to sit and chat (in english and japanese) while enjoying some american treats. we decided to head to barley mac and loaded up on some of their HH specialties: 

      

i had high hopes for the meatballs and while they were yummy, they were cold :( the potato skins, however, were delicious (and i probably could have eaten the whole thing on my own. but yes, i did share) :D

online: http://barleymacva.com/

   

kung fu tea

kung fu tea
1529 Wisconsin Ave NW FL 2nd, Washington, DC 20007
tel: 202) 813-3672

what was consumed: taro milk tea with bubbles and taiwanese fried chicken

coming from so.cal, where i've been drinking bubble tea since my childhood, i'm always happy to visit new places that offer delicious bubble tea. 

kung fu tea makes their drinks to order (i.e., they're not pre-packaged/pre-mixed), which is great. in fact, when you order, after you select which tea you want, you choose how sweet, how much ice, and what additional fixin's you'd like to add. my usual go-to is taro milk tea (and depending on my hunger, i'll order the tapioca pearls). they also have tapioca pearls that "explode" when you bite into them! i'll most definitely try those, next time.

i also like that kung fun tea has a few savory bites. in particular, i love the spicy taiwanese-style fried chicken. the szenchuan spice that's a part of the batter is delicious and will be a great complement to your tea.

the location i visited is also down the street from georgetown university. so, depending on when you go, the lines may be long thanks to all the co-eds. hahaha ...

online: https://www.kungfutea.com/

the bird

the bird
4219, 1337 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
tel: 202) 518-3609

what was consumed: nachos, chicken and waffles, chicken tacos

yay for neighborhood eats! 

i'd been meaning to try out the bird for quite some time. that bjl's preferred animal-based protein is chicken and preggers-related aversion to chicken pushed the visit date, but i finally made it! and super enjoyed it.

in particular, the chicken and waffles were delish. the chicken, in particular, was seasoned and cooked to perfection - crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside.

the staff at the bird was also so accommodating and kind with food allergies. luckily, we were there before the dinner rush, but i have a feeling they'd do their best in any circumstance. we felt so loved by the staff and the chef. thank you, the bird!

i also love that the bird has quite a large patio area. other diners brought their pets and enjoyed some yummy bites in the company of their furry friends.

online: https://www.thebirddc.com/

dbgb

dbgb
931 H St NW, Washington, DC 20001 (CityCenter DC)
tel: 202) 695-7660

what was consumed: happy hour! the frenchie burger, thai sausage, maryland crab cakes

lookin' for a place to grab a quick and delicious HH bite? be sure to check out dbgb! chef daniel boulud does not disappoint with the flavors that he offers. the thai sausage, in particular, is super delish. the sausage is flavorful on its own, but all of the garnishes along with a delicious bun makes each bite so delightful. i'll look forward to checking out the rest of the menu ... soon!

online: https://www.dbgb.com/dc

    

bresca

bresca
1906 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel: 202) 518-7926

what was consumed: a bnuch of things on their rotating menu, to include white asparagus salad, foie gras negroni, ... a large-er plate of duck, a few pasta dishes, all delicious.

the DC version of my ladies who dine group got together for a delicious meal at bresca. comments off the top of my head regarding our meal: 
- make sure you make a reservation. while bresca is not small, it is also definitely not large. you'll be happy when you get to waltz past all of the people waiting for seats.
- be ready to eat some delicious food!
- be sure to also ask about the foie gras lollipops that another friend of mine keeps mentioning. especially if you're a foie gras fan, i think you will love them.

online: http://www.brescadc.com/menus/

      

      

joselito's

joselito's

660 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington, DC 20003
tel: 202) 930-6955

what was consumed: restaurant week menu! in a nutshell (and because i've forgotten the names of all the delicious dishes): mushroom soup, fish, roasted veggies, fried anchovies (always!), duck with creamy risotto

sometimes, you don't know what you're missing until someone points it out to you. that's who i felt with joselito's. kdk, the purveyor of all things delicious, suggested joselito's for their restaurant week option, and i was happy to oblige. if you're looking for a place that offers delicious small plates with wonderful flavors, be sure to add joselito's to your list! i'm glad we did ...

online: www.joselitodc.com/