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Green Almond Pantry, Chef/Owner Cagla Onal-Urel, Mediterranean Market and Restaurant at 1314 1/2 Ninth St., NW in Shaw (Open Tuesday - Saturday)


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Green Almond Pantry is currently open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch service from 11:30AM to 3:00PM and until 7:00PM for take-away of Market and Dinner Specials.

Counter seating is limited to approximately 8 seats.  Lunch Specials are also available for take-away between 11:30AM to 3:00PM.

Here is the article in the Washingtonian:  Shaw Now Has a Lovely Vegetable-Centric Mediterranean Market and Restaurant:  Former Etto head chef Cagla Onal debuts Green Almond Pantry

I recommend following Green Almond Pantry on instagram for the latest updates.

Below is the daily menu from a visit on December 1, 2018:

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Since November 20, 2018, I have dined at the counter at Green Almond Pantry five times.  Every meal has been truly a delight.  My initial impression is that the dishes are thoughtfully composed and executed with lots of care.  Ingredients are impeccable, treated respectfully and allowed to shine with minimal fuss.  Flavors are so well balanced and precision of execution is mesmerizing.  Simple yet complex.  Chef Cagla Onal-Urel's exquisite touch cannot be replicated.

Lunch Specials are updated daily and can be packed to-go.  Keep in mind some dishes have made only a one-to-two time appearance on the menu so I highly recommend that you take your time to carefully make your selection and don't hesitate to ask your server any questions.  To-go Dinner Specials if already prepared can be served at the counter upon request and at the discretion of the Chef.  Below is a list of dishes I have enjoyed (not in any particular order of preference):

  • Puntarelle Salad with Anchovy Dressing + homemade croutons
  • Tardivo, Farro + Beet Salad with Citrus + Balsamic
  • Local Leek + Goat Cheese Tart with Root Vegetable Salad
  • Puntarelle Tart with Goat Cheese + Egg
  • Roast Pork Tonnato with Arugula + Radish Salad
  • Tuscan Bean Soup

Click on any of the thumbnail photos below to see the enlarged version:

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continued from the previous post:

  • Braised Local Elysian Fields Lamb with Hummus + homemade bread
  • Elysian Fields Lamb Meatball Sub with homemade Potato Chips (with close-up photo)
    • the pickled chili is a brilliant accoutrement that provides both acidity and a little kick of heat without overtaking the meatball sub.  I loved alternating bites of meatball sub, pickled chili and potato chips in this order.  The meatballs are perfectly spiced and contain currants and pine nuts.  The homemade bread is baked fresh and perfectly toasted in the oven.  So darn delicious!
  • Tomato + Goat Cheese + Pesto Sandwich on homemade bread with Watercress Salad
  • Butternut Squash + Goat Cheese Tart with Arugula Salad
  • Elysian Fields Farm Lamb Shank with Potato Purée (Dinner Special)
  • Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream (Dessert)
  • Apple + Pear Tart (Dessert)

*Ceramic dinnerware is beautifully crafted by Katie Aldworth of Georgie Lee.

Click on any of the thumbnail photos below to see the enlarged version:

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Well the delightful dslee (hi!) and I are apparently both regulars and bumped into each other a few days ago there at Green Almond Pantry and had a wonderful lunch and conversation. I had, as always, the Braised Elysian Fields Lamb on Hummus with fresh bread. I guess that makes me not a foodie because I eat the same thing each time but that meal is so so good. It was followed by a 'local corn flour olive oil cake' topped with whipped cream and candied blood oranges. Superb meal. Disclaimer- I'm the landlord/owner of 1314 1/2 9th and thrilled to have Cagla as a tenant. 

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On 3/16/2019 at 12:24 PM, Lisa Fricano said:

I guess that makes me not a foodie because I eat the same thing each time but that meal is so so good. It was followed by a 'local corn flour olive oil cake' topped with whipped cream and candied blood oranges. Superb meal. Disclaimer- I'm the landlord/owner of 1314 1/2 9th and thrilled to have Cagla as a tenant. 

Lisa,

Thank you for posting. I'm not a "foodie," either - just a guy who loves life. We're thrilled to have you in our group, and there's no "foodie credentials" needed to be here; only kind regards for other people as fellow human beings. 

Seriously - I'll take a benevolent dolt over an intelligent snot, any day of the week.

Please don't sell yourself short - you're as good as any of us are. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

Kind regards,
Don

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On 3/16/2019 at 12:24 PM, Lisa Fricano said:

Well the delightful dslee (hi!) and I are apparently both regulars and bumped into each other a few days ago there at Green Almond Pantry and had a wonderful lunch and conversation. I had, as always, the Braised Elysian Fields Lamb on Hummus with fresh bread. I guess that makes me not a foodie because I eat the same thing each time but that meal is so so good. It was followed by a 'local corn flour olive oil cake' topped with whipped cream and candied blood oranges. Superb meal. Disclaimer- I'm the landlord/owner of 1314 1/2 9th and thrilled to have Cagla as a tenant. 

Hi Lisa!  Thank you for your kind words.  It was such a pleasure meeting you!  We are kindred spirits in love with Cagla's cooking.  Her magical touch is incomparable.  I look forward to sharing a meal with you again!

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On 9/9/2019 at 9:17 PM, dslee said:

From last week, Washington Post Review:  Green Almond Pantry is a delicious little lunch counter built on a mother's love

Cagla's cooking is heaven!

It has always puzzled me why the Post would review a place with 8 seats that 2-3 million people will read about. It reminds me of the Wine Spectator reviewing and recommending Marcassin 3 Sisters Chardonnay to it's readers when there are 75 cases available to the world. 

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Green Almond Pantry is one of Equire's 22 Best New Restaurants in America 2019

Wishing for all the support for the successful future of Green Almond Pantry! 

Don't be deterred by the 8-seat counter.  Minimal wait time, if any.  Also, take-away is so convenient.  Green Almond Pantry is my top favorite lunch spot in all of DC/MD/VA.

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1 hour ago, dslee said:

Green Almond Pantry is one of Equire's 22 Best New Restaurants in America 2019

Wishing for all the support for the successful future of Green Almond Pantry! 

Don't be deterred by the 8-seat counter.  Minimal wait time, if any.  Also, take-away is so convenient.  Green Almond Pantry is my top favorite lunch spot in all of DC/MD/VA.

I haven't yet had a bad or even mediocre dish here.

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Before Green Almond Pantry closes at 7PM tonight, I highly recommend picking up this insanely delicious Lamb Shank with Celeraic and Potato.  I was lucky enough to use a chopstick to scrap out all the bone marrow as a bonus.  This is the best lamb shank I have ever enjoyed to date in my life!  Cagla's cooking is sublime!

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Beyond excited!  Green Almond Pantry is accepting takeaway orders ONLINE.  Weekly dinners will most likely rotate each week.  I recommend checking early in the week on Monday or Tuesday to place your order.  

I just placed my order for this week:

  • Whole-Salt Baked Branzino Dinner for 2 with Salsa Verde, Seasonal Market Salads and Focaccia (Thursday pickup 4PM - 6PM)
  • Chef Choice To-Go Vegetarian Selection of Housemade, Seasonal Market Salads (Saturday pickup 2PM - 6PM)
  • Whole Seasonal Tart 

https://greenalmondpantry.square.site/

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Tonight's divine Whole-Salt Baked Branzino Dinner for 2 with Salsa Verde includes:

  • Carciofi alla giudìa
  • Local rapini with sweet pepper, garlic & pickled mustard seed
  • Farro with local green garlic & local asparagus
  • Focaccia (Classic marinara with red onion and oregano)

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1 hour ago, Deborah Lee said:

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Emptied them out for lunch on Mar 4, and had, among other things, their de-licious foccacia (driving in the car on the way home).

I was so impressed with every single thing about them during a weekday lunch. Here's the menu in case you want to compare.

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It's worth emphasizing: Green Almond Pantry offered pickup meals this week *only* on Thu, 4-6PM (the bronzino dinner) and Sat, 2-6PM (chef's choice, which will be a bag of whatever they need to get rid of (*not* a bad thing - this place is uniformly excellent)). I just tried to order for tomorrow, Friday, and no-go.

(Click to order.)

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On 5/21/2020 at 11:31 PM, DonRocks said:

It's worth emphasizing: Green Almond Pantry offered pickup meals this week *only* on Thu, 4-6PM (the bronzino dinner) and Sat, 2-6PM (chef's choice, which will be a bag of whatever they need to get rid of (*not* a bad thing - this place is uniformly excellent)). I just tried to order for tomorrow, Friday, and no-go.

(Click to order.)

Dinners are usually offered every week for pickup only on a Thursday or Friday.  Dinner menu will rotate based on what inspires Chef Cagla Onal-Urel and dependent on the best product available and in season.  In the past, she has offered her beautiful Turkish dinners for 2 as well as her Whole-Salt Baked Branzino Dinner for 2.  I recommend following Green Almond Pantry's Instagram or Facebook stories for updates for what dinners will be offered and when.

Saturday Chef Choice To-Go bag usually consists of 1 small bag of house-made crackers and 10 small containers of her vegetarian Mediterranean and Turkish salads/dip made fresh from impeccable seasonal produce.  Chef Cagla is very particular of the quality of product and known by purveyors to turn subpar product away upon her inspection.  Every week the salads rotate so they are made fresh for Saturday pick up.  Green Almond Pantry started offering Saturday Chef Choice To-Go bags on April 11, 2020.  Since then, Chef Cagla has been so thoughtful in varying the selection to minimize back to back repeats except her braised artichoke has been offered every Saturday which I am very grateful.  Below is a photo that shows a sample of each salad from last Saturday's Chef Choice To-Go bag, plated as Green Almond Pantry's "little little in the middle."

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I believe the à la carte takeaway items can only be picked up either on the day of the weekly dinner(4-6PM) or Saturday (2-6PM).  I will be picking up my whole Seasonal Tart on Saturday with my Chef Choice To-Go bag.

Hi @DonRocks:  For this week, there is no pick-up for Friday.  From Green Almond Pantry's Instagram and Facebook stories, it appears orders are still being accepted for Saturday pick-up.  What were you trying to order and not able to?

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3 hours ago, Deborah Lee said:

Hi @DonRocks:  For this week, there is no pick-up for Friday.  From Green Almond Pantry's Instagram and Facebook stories, it appears orders are still being accepted for Saturday pick-up.  What were you trying to order and not able to?

Nothing in particular; I'm ordering from Tail-Up Goat Saturday, and was looking for somewhere for tonight (Friday).

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Saturday's pickup from Green Almond Pantry:

  • Beautiful Whole Seasonal Tart w/ Local Eggs, Goat Cheese & Seasonal Vegetables of Asparagus and Leeks in Homemade Flaky Tart Shell.
  • Delicious selection of 5 of the 10 heavenly salads (Spicy Cabbage, Roasted Mini Peppers, Beets, Smokey Eggplant, and Braised Cranberry Bean) plated on Cagla's hummus + crostini (featured instead of homemade crackers) from this week's Chef To-Go.  I finished plating with sprinkles of Cagla's Farro and Walnut Salad. And beautiful Micro Herbs and Greens included in my "Best of the Season" home delivery from The Chef's Garden.

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Green Almond Pantry posted in their Instagram & Facebook stories. 

Accepting orders for Thursday, May 28, 2020 Dinner pickup 4-6PM.

Whole Joyce Farm Chicken baked in Salt with Celery Walnut Pesto + Market Salads & Focaccia.  Enough for 2. 

I just purchased my order before sell out.  Pre-order online is required.

Ignore the notice "Your order will be ready for pickup Saturday after 2:00 PM" at checkout and in your confirmation email.

Dinner pickup is Thursday 4-6PM.  

Currently, there is no way to designate an exact pickup time so you must arrive anytime between 4 and 6PM to pickup at Green Almond Pantry storefront.  There is a phone number posted on the window near the entrance to call when you arrive.  Entrance is not permitted.  Someone will bring out your food packaged and bagged and place on the stools just outside the entrance.  Then you will part ways with a wave.

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With the second half of May 28, 2020 Green Almond Pantry's amazing dinner of Whole Joyce Farm Chicken baked in Salt with Celery Walnut Pesto, I composed a delicious lunch salad with The Chef's Garden Best of the Day Mixed Greens, Spinach, Lettuce, Kohlrabi (marinated in Ramp Mignonette & Celtic Salt) + finished w/ Organic Lemon Juice and Zest located on The Chef's Garden thread

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Saturday pickup of Chef Choice To-Go bag from Green Almond Pantry:

  • Photo 1:  Fava w/ Fresh Herbs; Stuffed Pepper (Arborio Rice, Sweet Onion, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Salt & Pepper, EVOO, Currants, Pine Nuts); Confit Eggplant w/ Marinated Peppers; and Braised Artichoke

  • Photo 2:  Black Eye Pea Salad; Roasted Rainbow Carrots; Braised Cranberry Bean; and Farro & Asparagus Salad

  • Photo 3:  Leeks & Rice (I like to enjoy with a tin of Matiz Wild Sardines as a meal.  For a splurge, Ortiz Ventresca.)

  • Photo 4:  On the Green Almond Pantry Lunch Menu (before COVID-19), Cagla would plate five Market Salads of her choice for her “Little, Little in the Middle” and serve with her house-made bread.  For dinner, I plated a little of all 10 salads here in the style of “Little Little in the Middle.”  Hummus is plated below the Roasted Rainbow Carrots.  Small bag of house-made crackers is also included in the Chef Choice To-Go, but not in photos.  

  • Note:  I highly recommend you bring the amount of salads you want to eat to room temperature instead of reheating.  That is how I became accustomed to taking the time to plate my food and actually enjoy it now.

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From May 23, 2020 Saturday Chef Choice To-Go pickup, beautiful braised Artichoke with Fava Bean included as one of the 10 Market Salads.  This is my favorite variation of braised Artichoke by Cagla.  It is best enjoyed at room temperature.

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