Small Plates and Big Appetites [DC Summer]

Fun.fresh.fast.delicious. These are the only words needed to describe the meal that we ate at Zaytinya last Saturday. Luckily, the benefit of going to eat at a "small plates" or "mezze" (for mediterranean food) style restaurant with 8 girls was that we were able to sample almost the entire menu. Each dish we tried was absolutely mouthwatering and flawless with its' balance of flavors and spices. 

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves - but if you're in DC for the weekend and only have one restaurant to try, this one is it. The price is right, the atmosphere is fun, and the food helps to bring the dining experience to another level. 

Here's how we ate our way through Zaytinya's menu:

HOMMUS

[puree of chickpeas, garlic, tahini]

BABA GHANNOUGE 

[fire-roasted eggplant, tahini, lemon, garlic]

TARAMOSALATA
[traditional spread of cured carp roe]

HTIPITI
[marinated roasted red peppers, feta, thyme]

CRISPY BRUSSELS AFELIA
[brussels sprouts, coriander seed, barberries, garlic yogurt]

SPANAKOPITA 

[house-made phyllo, spinach, feta cheese]

SEASONAL MUSHROOMS
[sautéed mushrooms, dates, toasted almonds]

BAMYA
[caramelized okra, fresh and crispy chickpeas, cardamom tomato stew]

GRAPE-LEAVES DOLMADES
[grape leaves with rice, tomato, fennel, pine nuts, golden raisins, served with labneh]

GARIDES ME ANITHO
[sautéed shrimp, dill, shallots, mustard, lemon juice]

SEA SCALLOPS

[seared scallops, yogurt-dill sauce]

BAKALIAROU MAVRO SKORDALIA
[ouzo battered black cod, orange, potato-garlic puree]

AGLAIA KREMEZI STYLE CRAB CAKES
[mini jumbo lump crab cakes, roasted garlic yogurt]

KOTOPOULO YOUVETSI
[chicken, orzo, tomato, kefalograviera cheese]

SPECIALS:

 DESSERT:

Cost? Most dishes are between $8-14 and 2-3 per person is more than enough for a complete dinner.

Atmosphere? High-ceilings, bright colors and modern decor make this a chic, fun atmosphere that's appropriate for dates, fun meals with friends, and family dinners. The bigger the group you go with, the better. Trust me, you'll be wanting to sample the whole menu.

 

 

If you want to check out the menu before heading over.

Zaytinya

701 9th St NW

Washington D.C.

A Taste of the Greek Life [DC Summer]

To continue the food adventures and our first week of being in DC, Pam and I decided that the extra few mile trek up to Dupont Circle was worth it for the meal we were about to have.

Located at 1612 20^th Street NW, Zorba’s Café serves up a delicious array of authentic Greek cuisine. From incredibly fresh hommus and tzatziki to handmade gyro and falafel, Zorba’s is cheap and casual enough for a quick bite to eat while enjoying a beautiful DC evening.

Before I go on to what we ate, I have to say what makes Zorba’s so special is it’s location in Dupont Circle. Although I’ll always call NYC my home city, the diversity of neighborhoods in DC is what really makes it so special – especially Dupont Circle’s hip, young, European feel.

We stuck with the basics, but in the end I think we made the right decision. Both dishes were filled with tons of flavor and cook to perfection.

Here’s how we did Zorba’s:

Hommus. A dip made of a perfect blend of chick peas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic.

Yero (also known as Gyro) Sliced yero (a blend of chicken OR marinated beef & lamb, herbs & spices, cooked on a vertical rotisserie), topped with lettuce, tomato, Feta, onion, and tzatziki (our own yogurt-cucumber sauce).

Chicken Yero

Beef Yero

Cost? The prices were perfect. All dips and appetizers were around $5, sandwiches around $8 and salads around $11. The sandwiches are more than enough food for 1 person – though I’d highly advise splitting one of their homemade dips if you’re dining with a friend.

Atmosphere? Don’t expect anything classy. You order your food at a register in back and when your number is called you can retrieve your food, but if you’re looking for a relaxing and extremely casual atmosphere, this is it.

Best dish? Since we only had the chicken and beef gyro’s and the hommus to judge from, I’d say both are winners in their own categories. That being said, I’ll definitely be going back to Zorba’s many times this summer.

If you want to check out their menu before heading over:

http://zorbascafe.com/?page_id=697

Zorba’s Café

Location: 1612 20^th St NW, Washington DC 

The Clinton Station Diner

Location: Exit 13 off Route 78 West in Clinton, NJ

Coming from the Westfield area, Clinton is not exactly right around the corner. But to kick off the Jersey Diner Series, my cousin Dan, my brother Michael, and I, felt the 30-minute trip down Route 78 was necessary.  

The Clinton Station Diner hosts two different dining ambiances that both overlook a scenic area of 78: one half is a927 Blue Comet observation train car and the other is a much more cozy, family dining atmosphere lined with model train tracks suspended from the ceiling. The waitstaff was extremely friendly and happy to serve all their customers. We were also impressed by how quickly our rather large order was served (we did get some stares for ordering enough food for six even though there were only three of us).

Now onto the food. Clinton Station Diner had a fairly standard diner menu, with breakfast served around the clock, however, there were a few items that set this place apart from other diners.

Burgers and fries: The burger was juicy, flavorful and char-grilled to perfection. Their fries, hand cut from fresh potatoes, were wedge-sliced with a great balance of crunchy outside and soft, warm inside.

Hungry and ready for a challenge? Clinton Station Diner offers a prize of $5,000 to any ten people who can finish “The 8^th Wonder”, a burger that weighs in at 105lbs including the bun and toppings, in one hour.

If you’re interested in a small taste of their delicious burgers, try the “Nano Bites”, 0.4oz of the same ingredients in their larger burgers.

Pancakes: A perfectly portioned order of fluffy, light and buttery short stacks. 

Omelet: Greek omelet filled with feta cheese, tomatoes, onions and kalamata onions served with well-done hashbrowns that I could’ve mistaken for my grandmother’s latkes. Great way to start, or end, the day.

Greek Entrée: Spanakopita: flaky crust with the just-right balance of warm spinach and feta. Served alongside a Greek salad which on it’s own would be a delicious meal. **Best dish of the night**

Before leaving, we finished off this feast with two desserts: a chocolate mousse bomb and a vanilla shake. Although the shake was a little thin for my liking, the weight of the mousse bomb definitely compensated for it. Both desserts were amongst the many good-looking treats displaced with the other bakery selections.

If you want to check out their menu and other details before heading over:

http://www.clintonstationdiner.com/index.htm