Skip to main content

Silver Diner

This local farm-based diner has always far exceeded one's concept of a traditional diner but the latest version of their voluminous menu goes even further, making "plant-based eating" a primary goal.  With a significant number of dishes marked for vegetarians, vegans and gluten free eaters there are enough choices here to return several times in order to try it all.  It's not just veggies, it's flavorings.  There is an Asian influence as well as Central American seasonings.  Prices range from reasonable to mid-range.  The menu lists dishes for under $10 and dishes which are less than 600 calories.  On my latest visit I got a brown rice bowl with Asian-inspired tofu and slaw, along with greens and radishes.  My companion got a green salad with was rich with dark greens and sauteed vegetables.  Both dishes exceeded expectations on flavor, with subtle and complex seasonings interplaying.  The one downside was the brussels sprouts, which were a tad overdone.  As this is a diner, I couldn't write a review without mentioning the shakes.  They are superb and old-school -- real ice cream mixed with full fat milk and served in a traditional glass with a tumbler on the side.  Although not on the menu, you can request a "malted" (do!).  On a personal level you may want to skip the whipped cream, which is yummy and seemingly homemade, but superfluous.  Do wear a sweater as the AC is often set fairly low, and do bring quarters for the jukebox options in each booth (and be prepared to wait for your song to come up).  A favorite place for me, where I can can choose something new every time and am rarely disappointed.

Table service diner with numerous plant-based options
Multiple locations in DC Metro, most in suburbs or exurbs
https://www.silverdiner.com/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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 plenty.  I did get two of the mini s
Post a Comment
Read more

First Watch

Meant to invite some family members here but a friend beat me to the punch.  We compromised and went together.  Unfortunately, this is a place where it looks better than it is.  Across the board.  The funky design scheme makes it an echo chamber and, with the pumping music, very loud.  Conversation was difficult.  The menu is covered in glossy photos and descriptions of the food but ... I started with the Morning Meditation Fresh Juice, a pretty blend of citrus and beet.  Or I tried to.  Took three reminders to the waiter and when it finally arrived, halfway into the meal, it was 90% ice and 10% juice.  My companions opted for coffee.  It was ice cold.  Another long wait (about 20 minutes) to get new coffee -- and included a reminder to staff that they wanted fresh cups as well.  I ordered the Vegetarian Quinoa Bowl, which was described as having up to 12 ingredients.  It had three.  The quinoa, an egg, maybe two teeny slices of tomato past its prime.  It wasn't hot or cold, just r
Post a Comment
Read more

Mezeh

With this new version of a middle-eastern inspired "bowl/pita/wrap" meal the Ballston Mezeh has a lot to praise and a few things it could do better. On the plus side is a ton of options.  For a base they move beyond the simple rice or greens selections to specific greens options/mixes and then they have three kinds of rice (including Riced Cauliflower with Bulgar Wheat for the Keto crowd).  After that there are two different protein options for veggies -- Falafel and Veggie Kofta.  I selected the Kofta just so that I could have something new ... and loved it.  But you aren't done there.  You can choose up to 12 toppings (TWELVE) out of 27.  Then there are the dressings.  Again, the choices are overwhelming with eight -- each sounds amazing.  I went with the Spicy Mango and was not disappointed.  I ordered a bowl and still got a nice big slice of warm pita which was just yummy. The challenge however, is that the bowl I ordered online wasn't really full.  There were lot
Post a Comment
Read more