Even though we have been to Washington, DC many times, we have never seen the cherry blossoms. Apparently it is a thing because the crowds were bigger than the time we went there for the 4th of July. Of course the trip was more than pretty trees. We also ate a lot of great food and one terrible dish. We were at the zoo to see the pandas and stopped at Zoodeli which is supposed to have a large variety of sandwiches. They were out of all of them except the hummus wrap. We tried the chicken fingers and fries as a result and let me tell you they were the worst fries I have ever had. Ever! But let’s focus on the good. Here it is.
Reveler’s Hour
Reveler’s Hour is the sister restaurant of Tail Up Goat, a Michelin Star restaurant just a block away. It’s a lively place with a nice bar where I tried two new local gins. They offer a three course menu for $62. I started with cacio e pepe arancini which was exactly as it should be, packed with cheese and black pepper. For my main, I had the bucatini served with a sauce of miso roasted pork and aleppo pepper. The pasta was amazing, but the sauce had a hard time sticking to it. Finally, for dessert, I had the olive oil cake which was served with these amazing red wine figs. Overall, Reveler’s Hour is a fun place. The prix fixe menu is a good deal and they have nice cocktails. But ifor great food, it’s no Tail Up Goat.
Reveler’s Hour
1775 Columbia Road NW
Washington, DC
Astro Donuts
I can’t say no to a good donut, particularly on vacation. Yes these were the words that lead off the write up of the second stop on my Arizona trip. So it’s true, because the second place I ate in DC was Astro Donuts. I’ve been eating there for a long time and this visit was even better than I remembered. The Cherry Blossom Donut, a limited time special for the festival, was beautifully decorated, covered in a thick layer of vanilla frosting, and loaded with cherry pie filling. I didn’t get any chicken this visit, but I recommend that too.
Astro Donuts & Fried Chicken
1308 G Street NW
Washington, DC
Oyamel
Oyamel is a Jose Andres restaurant specializing in Mexican small plates. It has received a Bib Gourmand from Michelin. In addition to great food, their bar program was great, particularly the Petalo De Rosa Margarita, a special for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Among the dishes, the Frijoles Refritos con Queso and the Tamal Verde stood out. See everything we ate at Oyamel – Bib Gourmand.
Oyamel
401 7th Street NW
Washington, DC
La Tejana
La Tejana is a small, counter-service restaurant serving just breakfast tacos. I waited in line for about twenty minutes to get my hands on these renowned treats. I tried two, La Choripapa and The 512. The less expensive La Choripapa was the better of the two. Read more at La Tejana – Bib Gourmand.
La Tejana
3211 Mt Pleasant Street NW
Washington, DC
Bresca
Michelin Star winning Bresca served up an amazing meal including a $170 duck for two that included a tableside sauce made using an antique duck press. As impressive as the food was, the cocktail program might have been even better including a high proof shochu and a chartreuse that was personally brought from France by the bar manager. Read more at Bresca – One Michelin Star.
Bresca
1906 14th Street NW
Washington, DC
Ben’s Chili Bowl
Many years ago, I went to the original Ben’s Chili Bowl. This time, the best I could do was stop at the Reagan Airport outpost. No it doesn’t have the charm and history of the original, but it does have their signature half smokes. It’s a blend of beef and pork. I got mine topped with mustard, onions, and of course spicy chili. You could do a lot worse at the airport, but while you can duplicate the food, you can’t duplicate the atmosphere. If you have the chance, go to the original location on U Street. If you don’t, this isn’t a horrible alternative.
Ben’s Chili Bowl
Reagan National Airport
Arlington, VA
Concord Culinary Lyceum 
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