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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/

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