District Dumplings

Affordable dumpling place (10 for $10) which is very veggie friendly. There was a line out the door when I arrived today, which was easy to understand after sampling the fare. Of the eleven dumpling options offered there were four vegetarian selections. Additionally, the menu includes a vegetarian noodle salad and shumai, a kind of "open" dumpling. Again, one of the shumai options was vegetarian. First and foremost, call ahead or be prepared to wait. You can get the dumplings pan-fried or steamed. If you ask for steamed they say it is a 15-20 minute wait. On this visit the dumplings were a solid 20+ minutes given the large number of orders being handled by the kitchen. The wait is worth it. The little dumplings are exquisite. I mixed it up and got the Kale, Edamame/Taro and the Squash with Cheese. I even forgave them the lack of dipping sauce (two packets of soy sauce don't cut it) as the seasonings were delicate and yet perfectly balanced.

Bottom line: The menu was on a chalkboard which tells me there are seasonal changes. I WILL be back.

Counter Service Dumplings
Locations at Mosaic and in south Arlington
https://districtdumplings.com/

Comments

Afghan Bistro

With family members moving to Springfield, it has been a struggle to find good places to eat so far afield. After flirting with some chain restaurants near the mall, we tried a Pakistani restaurant (there are many, many Pakistani restaurants there), but it fell flat. Finally, someone suggested this amazing place. It's a little hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall. With oilcloth table coverings, the vibe seems questionable. For about a minute. Then you are warmly greeted and given menus with a plethora of choices. My party ordered a great number of items and every dish rose above expectations. The staff are eager to please and checked in to make sure everything was okay, from food to drink needs. When a member of my party dropped a piece of silverware on the floor one of the waiters swooped in with a replacement before we could even ask. But onto the food. We ordered the Potato and Leek turnovers, the Aushak (leek and sc...

Sweets

Yes, vegetarians, even vegans, like sweets. No, I do not eat an apple for dessert. Sorry Mom. I tried all these out so you don't have to -- that's why I'm fat and you lovely readers are presumably not. All winners are, of course, subjective. Best Cupcakes: Georgetown Cupcake . Hate to honor this tourism trap but they truly earn their cred. Sprinkles is a good runner-up. Sorry, the gargantuan cupcakes at Baked and Wired are just "too much." Best Chocolate Croissant: Best Buns . Absolutely no competition. Best Cakes/Individual Desserts: Randolph's Pastries . Hands down. I can recognize their treats blindfolded. Best Macarons: Bakeshop . With the added benefit of Taro Root offerings now and then. Best Pie: Pie Sisters . Try the Key Lime. Best Donut: This one is tough. For a somewhat lower guilt factor, go for the small, very affordable cake varieties ...

RASA

The popular grain bowl trend gets a twist with this Indian-inspired takeout bowl place. Same concept -- a base, greens, toppings, etc., but the options are mostly Indian inspired and the majority of offerings are vegetarian (although not vegan, given the heavy use of Ghee in cooking). My take is mixed. Some of the items were outstanding, some less so. I got the Lemon Tumeric Rice, which was delightful. Fresh and tangy, with a little bite, it was one of the best rice dishes I've ever tried. On top of this I got the Tofu/Cauliflower protein. It was half and half. The cauliflower was perfectly roasted, the roasted onions delightful, and the nuts were a beautiful added crunch. The tofu, however, was watery, and the green and red peppers well past prime. Next, I added sauteed spinach, which was incredibly bland, and the peanut sesame sauce, which was "okay" but forgettable. I didn't do additional toppings, although there were ...

DCVegEats

Search This Blog