DCVegEats

This McLean restaurant opened a new branch in Arlington and I went to check it out.  The best news is the food, which is truly impressive.  There are lots of areas for improvement, however.  First, the good stuff:  I got the red lentil soup -- which was actually a yellow lentil soup.  It was creamy and had a delightfully fresh, lemony taste.  I also got the Mumbai Panini, with a side salad instead of fries.  I was a bit surprised at this -- it was on two regular slices of bread, not a panini roll, and not as large as I imagined for a $14 sandwich.  It was also a bit greasy, which is not typical in Paninis.  Nonetheless, there are a plethora of unexpected ingredients in the dish, and they all seemed to be there.  And it was truly delightful.  Every bite was slightly different and the many items "danced" well together, creating something original and bursting with flavor.  The side salad was fresh, and replete with a nice mix of greens, as well as carrot spirals, cubed cucumber

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