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Home » Reviews » Some Great Eats In DC

Some Great Eats In DC

Published: Apr 30, 2014 · Modified: Jul 23, 2017 by Rebecca Pytell · This post may contain affiliate links.

First off, I think I should receive a reward for eating out so much over the last two weeks. Starting in South Carolina, all the way through my DC trip. I have had an extreme fear of eating out. Due to my multiple food allergies, dietary specifications, cross contamination fears, and food safety (i.e. salmonella, germs etc.), eating out gave me huge anxiety. Luckily my family rarely ever eats out anyway, but if we did have to go somewhere, I would just eat beforehand, or bring my own food. But that has to change now that I won't be living at home with access to any food I want and space to cook. I love cooking and am perfectly content with making everything I eat, I love to do it, so it is not a burden. (That is going to be one of the hardest things next year! How will I be able to develop new recipes! O the humanity!). Anyway, I sucked it up over these past few weeks and I am glad to say that I have survived! I still don't like to eat out and I have to do major research before going somewhere, but at least I know I can do it when need be.

Anyway, on to the goods! For breakfast each of the days I had just packed some creamy buckwheat cereal and quinoa flakes to heat up in the morning. However...the one down side to out hotel is you have to request a fridge. We did that but didn't receive it until late on Tuesday. What we also didn't realize was that they don't provide microwaves to the rooms either and you can't request one. I was screwed. But...the happy people down at the hotel restaurant allowed me to use their staff cafeteria microwave to make my breakfast each morning! How nice of them! I used my trusty big red ceramic bowl that I bought down in South Carolina for just this purpose (however in that hotel, we had a microwave). It all worked out though, happy day! I also drank copious amounts of unsweetened iced green tea from Starbucks the whole trip. It is so damn good, especially when I couldn't have my normal hot mugs of tea since there was no way to get hot water in the hotel room, haha!

IMG_9042e

Our first meal in DC was of course Sweetgreen! I had been dreaming about those salads all year. There is something so magical about their greens and local ingredients! You can tell by the line we had to wait in, but o it was worth it!

IMG_9039e

My salad included the Mesclun mix + black beans + beets + sweet potato + cucumber + lemon juice. It was o so good! I would marry this place if I could.

IMG_9047eNext up was the decision on where to have dinner. I had a huge list of possible places that I had saved and bookmarked on my laptop. I finally settled on Daily Grill.

Daily GrillThey have a really nice menu and even a huge gluten-free menu which is always a plus! I knew what I would be getting ahead of time plus I made reservations and informed them of my allergies and well as my moms. The inside was beautiful, a nice ambiance. The servers were all nice and the restaurant was not crowded which was good. You could even see right into the kitchen form the dining room. Nice, open, and elegant.

IMG_9203eIMG_9194e(My mom, haha!)

IMG_9192e(And my grandparents!)

IMG_9183eI orderd the Grilled Idaho Trout with herbed brown rice. I also added a side or broccoli. It was delicious. The Trout was phenomenal and the broccoli was steamed so perfectly! Haha, I laughed when they brought it out as a big hunk, but it tasted so good. The rice was okay. A little to much olive oil, but it had a nice flavor.

IMG_9206eIMG_9209eOverall, I would definitely go back here! I want to try one of their salmon dishes next...and have more of that broccoli 😉

On to day two! I knew I couldn't hold out any longer and I finally gave up my Whole Foods Hot/Salad Bar virginity. I feel like such a foodie now! I just crossed my fingers and chose wisely as to not get cross contaminated. But I like how they list all the ingredients and names of the dishes above each plate so you know if that sneaky soy is there, etc.

IMG_9882eI made a salad or greens + beets + black beans + zucchini + mixed carrots + peas + roasted sweet potato + some other stuff I can't remember + red wine vinegar. It was awesome 😉 I love making mass salad bowls. Non-foodies think that when you say salad, you mean just some greens and dressing. O no. Salads now-a-days means big mass nourishment!

Later for dinner I had to choose another restaurant, but wanted something in Georgetown since we would be down there for my Barre3 class. I ended up making reservations for 6:30pm at the Peacock Cafe. We got there right before the rain started and were seated right away, but had to wait a few minutes for my grandparents to get there. It was a really cute little place down a quiet street in Georgetown. It was elegant and open inside and again not crowded. (I have been having the best luck with non-crowded restaurants!)

IMG_9910e

IMG_9907e(Our view of the pouring rain was nice too!)

IMG_9903eAgain, I already knew exactly what I would be ordering and this time I was going to be a pain and make some substitutions. But all was good and they were very friendly and accommodating to us! They marked all of their gluten-free dishes was asterisks which was nice. They even had gluten-free bread. It looked really moist and decent when they brought it out (I didn't try it though since it probably has egg, dairy, or soy in it) but my mom and grandparents did. However they said it was really dry. My grandparents did not like it, haha, but my mom was able to get though a whole piece 😉 At least they tried!

IMG_9912e(It did photograph beautifully though! All the lighting from that huge window wall was perfect for photos!)

IMG_9913eSo I ended up choosing the Grilled Chicken Breast with Baby Vegetables and substituted the Peacock Fries for Grilled Sweet Potato instead and had them not but on the BBQ Aioli on the chicken. It was the perfect portion for me and was so delicious! I loved the grilled sweet potato and the chicken was perfect! Plus of course I loved the veggies...but I always do, haha! I would definitely get this dish again!

Grilled ChickenMy mom choose the Grilled Center Cut Heirloom Pork Chop with Mashed Potatoes and Baby Vegetables with a Balsamic Raisin-Walnut Bourbon Reduction.

IMG_9918eFancy stuff, huh? Haha. The only negative was that their water sucked. Nothing like City Range water 😛 But if you ever find yourself in G-Town, hit this place up!

My mom also had to stop at her favorite place for dessert. Georgetown Cupcake. They always have at least one gluten-free cupcake each day. (I've never had one since they aren't vegan and soy-free). My mom was pissed it wasn't her favorite chocolate birthday cake one and was made she had to try the salted caramel. (She thinks that is so weird. But she just isn't a foodie and don't understand flavor combos like salted caramel, haha!). But low and behold, she still loved it...like I told her she would. My grandparents also got some cupcakes (non-gluten-free).

IMG_9959eIMG_9966eSo cute and pretty. And so damn pink. Everything is really girly in there, haha! And the line is always so long and out the door! (A.K.A. this is little tween girl heaven, plus they think they will be on TV on the DC Cupcake show). But the one thing I do like about them is that they keep the gluten-free cupcakes completely separate from the gluten-filled ones and they change their gloves before handling the gluten-free. The whole kitchen is open to so you can see what they are doing.

IMG_9973e

Last, but definitely not least. I ate at Sweetgreen one more time on our last day before our long drive home. This time I got my favorite mix of ingredients! Mesclun Mix + Sweet Potato + Beets + Grape Tomatoes + Cucumber + Roasted Chicken + Lemon Juice. Their chicken and sweet potatoes are so unbelievable good! Salad heaven!

IMG_0136eBut wait, one more foodie find! In our few trips through Whole Foods, I fell in love with their huge array of bars! So of course since I don;t have access to most of these at home, I had to pick up a Thunderbird bar, the Almond Cookie Pow Wow! It was pretty good, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and nutrient dense! I am so pissed they are sold nowhere near me...just like every other cool foodie find. Thank God for the internet!

ThunderbirdWell that is all the great things I ate down in DC! I am proud of myself for doing it and stepping out of my comfort zone. My stomach only hurt a little bit after a few things, but for the most part I was a-okay! There are so many other places I want to try next time to. I still have my huge bookmarked folder of restaurants on my laptop so if you have any recommendations, let me know!

So tell me:

+ Have you ever had the glorious privilege of eating at Sweetgreen?

+ Are you really adventurous when eating out or do you usually stick to something you know you will enjoy?

*Recipe linking up for the week! WIAW, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Real Food Friday, Gluten-Free Fridays, Whole Food Fridays, #Foodie Friday!*

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diane (@SimpleLivingEat)

    May 06, 2014 at 2:57 pm

    I have a wheat allergy it is always a change eating on the road. Can’t believe no hot water in the room? Looks like you found some great food. Thanks for sharing your trip with us on foodie friday.

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      May 06, 2014 at 3:14 pm

      It is that's why I always bring as much of my own food as possible!

      Reply
  2. Melissa @ Nourish By Melissa

    May 04, 2014 at 1:22 pm

    Wow based on all that yummy looking food, I need to get myself over to DC haha 🙂 Glad you enjoyed your trip!

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      May 04, 2014 at 1:34 pm

      DC is the best! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Marla

    May 04, 2014 at 10:28 am

    Sounds like you had a good time at least eating. It great to know that restaurants are starting to have some healthier choices. Love your pictures. Thanks for sharing on Real Food Fridays Blog Hop!

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      May 04, 2014 at 10:39 am

      I'm just happy nothing made me sick, haha! Thanks Marla 🙂

      Reply
  4. lydiaf1963

    May 02, 2014 at 5:00 pm

    Way cool you were able to find good things you could eat while on the road. Thanks for pointing things out like avoiding cross contamination by changing gloves, etc. We always appreciate your contributions to Real Food Fridays, thanks for linking up!

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      May 02, 2014 at 5:05 pm

      Thanks for reading love 🙂

      Reply
  5. Running for Berries

    May 02, 2014 at 1:53 pm

    The peacock cafe is my absolute favorite in Georgetown I have eaten there a dozen plus times and it is always great!! They have really good shoestring fries and veggie burger

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      May 02, 2014 at 2:41 pm

      It is great! It seems like the hidden gem of Georgetown with it's location 🙂

      Reply
  6. Laura @ the gluten-free treadmill

    April 30, 2014 at 7:02 pm

    What a trip - definitely have some new places to stop when I'm there this summer!

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      April 30, 2014 at 7:18 pm

      O when are you going down? I will be back down there in June for orientation!

      Reply
  7. Nichole

    April 30, 2014 at 10:27 am

    All of those places look beautiful!! And the food super tasty!! Those cupcakes :)) Congrats to and awesome for you for getting over your fear!!

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      April 30, 2014 at 10:33 am

      Thank you Nichole! XOXO

      Reply
  8. Kaila @healthyhelperblog!

    April 30, 2014 at 10:21 am

    That's my favorite thunderbird bar!!! So yummy.

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      April 30, 2014 at 10:22 am

      I want to try some of the other ones! This one was okay! (I thought of you when I bought it, haha!)

      Reply
  9. Katrina Elle

    April 30, 2014 at 9:03 am

    Georgetown cupcakes rocks! I love DC and have never been to the Daily grill just yet – family lives in MD so it’s a little ways from there

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      April 30, 2014 at 10:14 am

      Daily Grill is great! Totally go if you get the chance 🙂

      Reply
  10. Linda @ Fit Fed and Happy

    April 30, 2014 at 7:49 am

    1. Wow your mom is so pretty!

    2. What are your allergies?

    3. That must be a really friendly close hotel to let you use their micro!

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      April 30, 2014 at 10:12 am

      Aw, haha thank you! She is probably mad that I posted a photo of her so she will be happy to hear that!
      I have celiac, a soy allergy, and am egg dairy and meat free. My mom is gluten free as well and has a severe seafood allergy.
      And the hotel is great! I totally recommend it!

      Reply
  11. jessielovestorun

    April 30, 2014 at 5:43 am

    Can I pleae come on your next roadtrip with you? I want to eat @ all those restaurants with you!!! I'm actually horrible at expanding my horizons & trying new cuisines. I havea very sensitive stomach which has sadly left to some major heartburn from time to time.

    Reply
    • Strength and Sunshine

      April 30, 2014 at 6:20 am

      Well if you are ever in DC next year, hit me up and we will go explore!
      There were so many amazing ethnic restaurants I wanted to try down there, but with all my stomach problems I was to scared to take that big of a leap...but I want to...next time! I would love to go to an authentic Indian restaurant, but that seems to be pushing it!

      Reply

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