Pigging Out in DC: Saturday

Saturday Breakfast: Founding Farmers

After a late night out, and too many old fashioneds, nothing settles the stomach like a solid brunch. Founding farmers had a lot in the way of vegetarian fare, and not your typical options (i.e. "eggs and taters" or bland-ass oatmeal). Their Red-Flannel Hash, was a mix of beets, fennel and potatoes YUM, and the multi-grain bread that came with it may have been made by someone sexy, because shiiiiit, it was so delicious and toasted the perfect amount for scooping up some of that hollandaise. As a prequel to that we ordered some beignets, which came with three sauces: chocolate, caramel, and raspberry. Possibly best beignets I've ever had. They were made fresh, and were so doughy and delicious in the middle, that I burned my mouth no less than three times taking those babies down. After all that and some coffee, I felt full, satisfied, and confident that I wouldn't vom on any national monuments. 

"Uncle Buck's Beignets"

"Red Flannel Hash"

Saturday Lunch/Snack: Oyamel

Taking a break from some Smithsonians, we stopped into a Mexican restaurant for some snacks and to re-fuel for the walk home. This place was also small plates. I got a mushroom taco, some fritters, and we split some fries with mole sauce. The taco was pretty good, the fritters were "meh", but the fries were CRAZY-good! As a french-fry connoisseur (as most vegetarians are) I wish I could have traded in everything else I ate, and just got three orders of the fries. The picture doesn't do them justice. 

"Papas al Mole"

Saturday Dinner: Rasika
After a much-needed nap, we headed over to Rasika, a swanky Indian joint, which was right by our hotel. When we called a few weeks ago, they had no reservations at all available for the weekend we were there, but they don't take reservations for their bar, lounge, or patio. We ended up eating in the lounge without a wait. We got a couple of their craft cocktails which were pretty and potent. We were a little tipsy when we left (which, to be honest, I want to be if I'm paying $12/ cocktail) The star of our meal ended up being the appetizer and the na'an. Their palak chaat (a fried spinach dish with some spices, veggies and yogurt mixed in) was like kale chips on steroids. A vegetarians dream! Green chips glorified! Crunchy, savory, tangy! Everything you've ever wanted as an eater of greens! I reigned myself in and did not lick the bowl despite being two cocktails deep. For my entree I got the Gohbi Mattar (an eggplant and cauliflower dish) and we split a Chili Olive Na'an. We seriously considered ordering more palak chaat to end the meal, but got a bread pudding-like dessert, which was a good amount of sweet to end the meal, and a good way to start the night.

I think this was the "Priyanka" drink

"Palak Chaat"

Pigging Out in DC: Friday Night

Hot DAMN, did I have fun in DC! Even though, I was only there for a long weekend, I managed to take down no less than 5 different countries represented in food. I was feeling so damn international that I even topped it off with tasting what Obama has deemed to be his favorite apple pie. I'll go through the damage I did chronologically:

Friday Night Dinner: Zaytinya

Soooo, we may have over-done it a little bit here, just maybe. This place is a mixture of Turkish, Lebanese, and Greek cuisine. Vegetarian options abounded! 

We got the hummus, which is pictured (after we desecrated it because we just couldn't wait), which came with the bread. You see that bread? It was softer than a fucking pillow and warm. We also got the Peynirli pide, which is the little pizza looking thing, Crispy Brussels Afelia, Broccoli Saganaki and Seasonal Mushrooms. We finished off the meal with some Turkish Coffee, Turkish Coffee  Chocolate Cake, and Galatopita (all the desserts and coffee are pictured)

Now, before you message me to suggest checking out a group session of over-eaters anonymous, they were all mostly small plates! After a few glasses of greek wine, we made a mistake and ordered full size desserts, and who am I to waste food?

The stand-outs were really the brussel sprouts and pide. The pide had some cinnamon in it, which, I'm not gonna lie, freaked me out a little (cheese and cinnamon pizza wtf?), but it was unreal! Same with the blueberries in the brussels. They added more flavor than sweetness and gave a bite that off-set the yogurt. Desserts were good, and the Turkish coffee will put hair on the chest of even the most stoic man, but it was a good pick-me-up before going out for the night. 

hummus and bread

pide, and crispy brussels

desserts with coffee