A few weekends ago E and I drove down to Reston, VA for a friends’s 30th birthday party. On the way down we decided to make a pit stop in Washington, DC. It had been a few years since we last visited and we needed lunch (and donuts)!
Hummus and Babaganoush
The Pita Bread is Bigger Than My Head!
Sweater: Everlane
Seared Salmon with Tahini, Pomegranate and Mint
Spanakopita
In 2013, when we last visited DC, we were lucky enough to have dinner at Zaytinya. It stuck in my mind as one of the best meals we had in DC. While driving down we looked to see if they had any open reservation times on OpenTable. We were in luck! An 11:30AM reservation was available. An early lunch never hurt anyone. When we arrived there was only one other couple sitting in the entire restaurant. Within thirty minutes of sitting down, though, the restaurant was buzzing with people. There was not an open table anywhere!
We decided to go with their four course prix-fixe brunch menu. We started with some house-made hummus and babaganoush. We ate these with their house-made pita bread. We literally licked the bowls clean! My second course was a beautifully cooked piece of seared salmon with tahini, pomegranate and mint – also devoured. My main course was spanakopita (see photo above). It was such an interesting take on the dish. The sauce was bright and perfectly paired with the salty feta cheese. After the first three courses I was STUFFED. I didn’t think I had any room for dessert (which, for those of you who know me, know that this is unheard of). I ordered the greek yogurt with apricots, while E ordered the turkish delight. The plating on these two dishes was beautiful – ALMOST too beautiful to eat. The greek yogurt with apricots was AMAZING. I wish I could find a way to replicate it at home. The turkish delight was also really special. I am so happy we were able to visit Zaytinya again! We will definitely be coming back!
Coat: J.Crew, Bag: Lo & Sons, Jeans: Old Navy, Sunglasses: Toms
Because everyone needs a donut after a four course meal…well at least I do! Before heading down to DC I asked some friends where the best donuts were. I was told that Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken was pretty special. Lucky enough it was a quick walk over from Zaytinya. The store is quite small but they run through orders quite quickly. E had his eye on the fried chicken but didn’t end up ordering any because we were STUFFED from brunch. We decided to share a salted caramel donut. It was light and fluffy. Everything a good yeasty donut should be. Next time I want to try their creme brûlée donut! #agirlandherdonut
The birthday boy, like E, is OBSESSED with beer. The party was held at a new craft brewery called Aslin Beer Company in Herndon, VA. We were all pleasantly surprised by their brews. Especially the How Now Brown Cow. It tasted like alcoholic chocolate milk. TASTY GOODNESS.
Sweater: Club Monaco, Jeans: American Eagle, Boots: Loeffler Randall, Bag: Chloe
Who doesn’t need donuts for the road?! On our way our of Reston we stopped for some breakfast donuts at Duck Donuts. Their donuts are made to order. They have suggested toppings, glazes and flavor combinations. We bought two donuts, one that we topped with peanut butter glaze and rainbow sprinkles and the other with a maple icing and powdered sugar. The donuts were hot and melted in our mouths! YUMMY!
As if we didn’t have enough to eat that weekend, we decided to stop at Founding Farmers – Tysons Corner, at the recommendation of our friends, for brunch. We didn’t know at the time that they don’t serve their regular menu on Sundays, but that they have an ALL YOU CAN EAT brunch. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. Anything you could want to eat for brunch they had. They were making frittatas, pancakes, waffles, fried chicken, salads, baked goods galore…the list goes on and on. We ate as much as we could until we couldn’t eat any more. Definitely going to stop in here again the next time we are in town!
With stuffed tummies and smiles on our faces, E and I got back in the car and drove back to New Jersey. Another food filled weekend brought to you by ME!
