Check It Out: Vapiano

Picture in you mind’s eye if you will, an Italian restaurant. A really good Italian restaurant. Now imagine, if instead of your traditional sit-down Italian joint, this one served you cafeteria style, and you could customize your dishes any way you pleased. If that scenario strikes you as a pleasant culinary fantasy, than It’s probably time you made it over to Vapiano

Located near the intersection of 18th and M in Foggy Bottom, Vapiano offers a delightful dining experience not only in the sense that it’s unconventional layout offers an ambiance that is at the same time intimate and accessible, but more importantly in that it serves up a broad spectrum of high-quality Italian dishes.

Unlike most restraints where communication between the customer and the kitchen is kept to a minimum, Vapiano allows you to order directly from the cooks themselves and as a result you get to put whatever you fancy on the dish in question, get it quickly, and see the entire cooking process played out right in front of you. Think Mongolian Barbeque meets Italian Kitchen. It’s not the largest dining room and it shares it’s space with the centrally located kitchen and as well as a bar on the far side, so it can fill up quickly around dinner time. They also don’t take reservations, so I would recommend that you head over earlier rather than later if you want to be able to find a good seat.


As far as the food itself goes, I tend to stick with my trusty standby of pesto vermicelli with pine nuts and grilled chicken, but have also enjoyed some terrific salads and pizzas there as well. Dining at Vapiano is for the most part a can’t-miss situation, so the only real limitation is your own creativity. Get out there and mix it up, you won’t be disappointed.

(also don’t miss the bowl of gummy bears by the door on your way out.)

Check it Out: Zorba's Cafe

You have to admit, living in the District on a budget is not the easiest thing to do and at time can even feel utterly impossible. With all of the fabulous gourmet restaurants serving up all the finest dishes their James Beard award-winning chefs can divvy up, it can be hard to find a restaurant that will serve up a hot plate of deliciousness that won't leave your wallet dumbfounded, wondering what just hit it. However, tucked away throughout this city are a number of gems offering great food at reasonable prices. This week, the Dupont gem that is Zorba's Café.

Maybe it's just me, but between the tall blue and white building and the Greek melodies that play on outside speakers that hypnotize and conjure up nostalgia of munching on pita smothered with tzatziki, I just plain can't resist Zorba's Café. And based on observation, I am not the only one who gets lured in. Located about a block and a half North of Dupont Circle on 20th Street at Connecticut Ave., Zorba's is a no-fuss, quick service, get there early so you have a place to sit, kind of place. Don't hold it against the cooks whose native language is definitely Spanish, not Greek; they really know what they are doing. Having been there several times, I have always favored their superb Yero (also known as Gyro) Sandwich for $7.95(Opt for the sandwich instead of the plate and save $3.55!). There is just something about their light, fluffy, and almost sweet pita bread that induces massive cravings that have me coming back sooner rather than later. Wash it down with a surprisingly not bad Mythos Hellenic Lager Beer for $4.35, and you have just fed yourself an entire meal for under $15!


Cafeteria-style service means feeling like you are back in high school with blue trays AND no tips! BONUS!

Directions to Zorba's Café

Check It Out: O'Sullivan's Irish Pub

Entering February, we may seem that much closer to emerging from the depths of the DC winter, but as anyone who has lived in the district can tell you the dreary cold and driving wind have a knack for hanging around well past their welcome. While unpleasant weather is often the perfect excuse to stay in and defer to delivery, there is also something to be said for delicious, filling food and a cozy atmosphere on a cold evening. To that end, I present O'Sullivan's Irish Pub.


Located about a block from the Clarendon metro stop in the Commonwealth of Virginia, O'Sullivan's compliments a terrific selection standard Irish standards with a solid selection of beer on tap, but its the warm, local-bar ambiance that really sets this one apart. The prices aren't bad either, fifteen bucks and change will get you a pint of something tasty and a bowl of their peerless beef and Guinness stew.


Aside from doing the food thing, O'Sullivan's hosts pretty good live shows on the weekends right in the dining area, so next time you're reaching for the phone to call the pizza guy head on over to O'Sullivan's. You won't be disappointed.


Directions to O'Sullivans

Check It Out: Ching Ching Cha

In the world of hot beverages, it is a well-known fact that there are coffees and then there are coffees. The ninety-nine cent cup of joe you pick up from the local deli is a very different breed than some haute organic kona blend served in only the finest of coffee houses. This is the case with tea as well, and the unique blends offered at Ching Ching Cha are firmly in the latter category.

Tucked into the row houses just up the hill from the Georgetown waterfront for just over a decade, Ching Ching Cha is a traditional Chinese style teahouse offering over seventy varieties of the finest tea the world has to offer. They are so dedicated to delivering only the best quality product, that the store’s owner, Ching Ching, spends several months out of each year traveling through the tea growing regions of the far east in search of only the best quality teas to bring back home to Washington.


The tranquil ambiance inside is a welcome contrast to the hustle and bustle of the surrounding Georgetown streets, and can provide the perfect quiet corner to enjoy a cuppa free from the concerns of the day There is a small menu of quality tea snacks that compliment the beverages well, but they take a backseat to the tea itself, so don’t sit down looking for a filling meal.

If it’s a little peace and quiet you are looking for, or just a hot cup on a cold day, Ching Ching Cha is worth checking out, and be sure not to miss the terrific selection of tea-related miscellany available for purchase scattered about the shop.

Directions to Ching Ching Cha

Check It Out: Chopt

If day in and day out, lunchtime finds you heading back to the same old sandwich joints, there is a good chance that you are missing out on one of the best mid-day meals that Foggy Bottom has to offer. Chopt, located on 19th between L and M, is to salads what Chipotle is to burritos: fresh, filling, and totally customizable.

The DC / NYC chain offers a staggering number of options as far as what you want in and on your salad, so between all the meats, cheeses, dressings, and veggies, there is a pretty good chance that you are going to be able to find exactly the salad that you are looking for. My personal favorite, is romaine with celery, asian noodles, granny smith apples, parmesian flakes, and grilled chicken, all under a white balsamic dressing, and it has never failed to hit the spot. If you are not feeling too creative, Chopt also offers all the standards, as well as some interesting creations of their own design. All very good, but the make-your-own option is really where the place shines. Not a salad person? the fine folks at Chopt will gladly throw it all in a wrap for a more mobile meal. Salads and wraps start at around $6, but end up around $10 if you opt for meat and what not.


If you are looking for something fresh to spice up your lunchtime routine, look not further than Chopt: BIG portions + healthy ingredients = a no brainier.

Directions to Chopt