Skip to main content

Fare Well

Business along H Street allowed me to check out this newish restaurant along a massively transformed avenue.  Completely vegan, the spot is billed as a "veggie-forward retro-chic diner, bar and bakery".  It was a tad more upscale than expected.  I expected take-out.  This place had paper napkins but some serious home-cooking.  I started with the Polenta Fries, described as "rosemary-herbed fried cornmeal served with garlic aioli and tomato jam dipping sauces."  The fat five sticks arrived steaming hot and were beyond delectable.  The garlic aioli was good (albeit with a mayo undertone I didn't care for) but the tomato jam was unique, interesting and a terrific balance for the tangy fries.  I followed with a Roasted Romaine Salad (adding in chickpea seitan).  This was good but didn't knock my socks off.  The romaine was heated (just heated, not limp) but not charred, as I expected (and had hoped for).  The romaine would have been better if grilled.  The cherry tomatoes followed heirloom tradition and were varied in color and flavor.  That, added with a nicely creamy lemon caesar dressing and the almond panko provided some nice balance.  The seitan was breaded and deep fried.  While good, I would have preferred it to be sauteed or grilled as it was very heavy and overwhelmed the dish a bit.  There were desserts but I have repeatedly been disappointed by vegan treats and didn't want to feel sad after a nice meal.  The ambience of the place is nice -- kind of a diner meets 1950s meets farmhouse vibe but airy and open at the same time.  Service was good from my server.  The bartender also seated a single person and did that irritating thing where she asked, repeatedly, if the gentleman was eating alone.  As a frequent single diner, can I just say that affirmed your singleness repeatedly can be uncomfortable.  Anyway, the pricetag was not cheap.  My appetizer and salad, with tax and tip, came up to almost $30.  The price of eating in the city, I guess.  Would definitely try this place again, however.  The menu offers tremendous options for veggies (as well as an all-day breakfast) and there is a special brunch on the weekends.  On a cold wet Monday night there were few people eating there when I arrived but it filled up fast, a testament to it's popularity.

Casual dining with a veg-heavy menu
406 H St, NE
https://www.eatfarewell.com/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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...
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 teen...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dera

Was looking for a good Pakistani restaurant in Springfield and this one had some of the best reviews, so I gave it a shot.  Arrived for an early dinner to find some regulars around a table in a cavernous room.  The restaurant staff looked at us like we had interrupted a private party.  We sat and were grudgingly given menus after asking.  Tepid water in questionably clean glasses were eventually brought.  One member of the party ordered a salad.  It arrived in a large mixing bowl and was mostly iceberg lettuce.  A plastic basket of cold bread was literally "dumped" on the table, then the waiter disappeared.  Eventually we were able to get someone to take our orders, which included a curry, a biryani and a kebab.  Portions were huge and the rice, again, came in what looked like a mixing bowl.  It was enough to feed ten.  The food wasn't bad.  Sometimes the seasonings were a bit heavy handed (particularly for the rice) but it was...
Post a Comment
Read more