Cava Mezze, The Original, Sit-Down Version Of Cava In Three Area Locations

[MarkS]

Anyone been to Cava in Traville. Greek style Tapas?

[monsterriffs]

Greek style Tapas?

You mean Spanish-style mezedes

If you go, please let me know. Though I think it's hard to get some of the quality seafood and greens here in the States that you normally get at a typical mezedadiko in Greece.

[Ted Xenohristos]

Hello everyone, My name is Ted and I am the owner of CAVA, which is a Greek mezze restaurant. The reason I am on this board is that it seems many of you know alot about food, restauarants and locations. Has anyone been to my place? If so, let me know what you think. My site is cavamezze.com

I am not trying to use this board as advertising, I already have some hour to 2 hour waits, so I am basically here just to be part of this board and see what feeback I can get.

Ted

[theakston]

I live in Clarendon (have done for 15 years!) and I think a Greek Mezze place would do well. There is a lack of Greek restaurants in the area (since the Aegean Taverna closed) Maybe the spot that SoBe used to have would be a good location? (it has an outdoor patio and is right across from Metro).

[ol_ironstomach]

Ted, welcome to the board!

I had dinner there last week, and will post a brief impression, but in short: yes, if you can maintain the quality level, I think people would love to see one or two more locations!

[alisa7]

I live in Courthouse and I agree that a new Greek restaurant will be a welcome addition to the area. I think that old SoBe space would be good, and there are also a number of spaces available in new buildings in the Roslyn-Courthouse corridor (though I think a location with outside seating would be appreciated!)

[monsterriffs]

Hello everyone, My name is Ted and I am the owner of CAVA, which is a Greek mezze restaurant. The reason I am on this board is that it seems many of you know alot about food, restauarants and locations. We were looking to open a 2nd location in the Clarendon area, and since I dont live in VA, I dont know much about it. Has anyone been to my place? If so, let me know what you think. My site is cavamezze.com

I am not trying to use this board as advertising, I already have some hour to 2 hour waits, so I am basically here just to be part of this board and see what feeback I can get.

Ted

Geia sou Theodore! I'm curious if you actually have any of the greens that I normally find in Greece, like vlita, because I always love having those along with the usual seafood fare.

I'm looking forward to getting out to the restaurant and kalos irthes sto board!

[Ted Xenohristos]

Geia sou Theodore! I'm curious if you actually have any of the greens that I normally find in Greece, like vlita, because I always love having those along with the usual seafood fare.

I'm looking forward to getting out to the restaurant and kalos irthes sto board!

Where is this SOBE location, anyone have an address?

Efharisto ladi kai lemoni! We do not have any of the greens, and I will explain to you why. It is different when your mother or grandmother are out picking their own fresh greens and getting the best available. Many times when we order through a distributor they bring us crappy greens, many times with dirt in them and we do not like to serve anything like that. We do get Meditteranean fish, mostly imported from Greece. Most of our food is Greek inspired. We do souvlaki very traditional, as close to Greece as you can get, we leave some good fat on it, which gives it great flavor. Our whole menu is mezze, which is about 45 small plates, and some are not Greek, but many are. If anyone stops in, please introduce yourself, I would love to buy you a dessert we call Loukoumades, which to me is the most traditional Greek dessert, simialar to a French binet.

[cheezepowder]

Where is this SOBE location, anyone have an address?

It was at 3100 Clarendon Blvd.

[monsterriffs]

I finally got the chance to head up here for dinner with a friend tonight, and had a great meal that I am still stuffed from. Some notes on what was consumed tonight:

Ouzo on the rocks: Very much the classic accompaniment to mezedes and it was very refreshing. My only complaint was that it was served in a brandy snifter than the usual tall and narrow glass. This made the glass rather unwieldy and somewhat of a space hog on an already cramped table.

Tzatziki: Very well done. The right thickness and consistency that most supposed Greek places can't seem to get right. Tzatziki should not be runny and/or watery!

Saganaki: Pretty good. Could have used more lemon and perhaps could have been a little more melted. The spectacle of the table-side preparation of this dish is fun though...hopefully, it won't end up lighting someone's hair on fire!

Greek Fries: French fries prepared in olive oil and topped with various Greek cheeses like graviera, etc. This was a miss. The fries were too browned and became soggy and limp quickly thereafter.

Grilled Octopus: I was feeling adventurous tonight and ordered this dish because growing up, I used to hate octopus despite my parents' absolute love for it. So, I decided now that I've grown up, I'll give this popular mollusk a chance. In terms of tenderness and consistency, it was well-prepared. Unfortunately, it was somewhat flavorless because I can barely recall what I ate. This is probably not the fault of the restaurant because I feel like it's pretty difficult to get good octopus around here.

Mini Souvlakia Wrapped In Pita: The undisputed champion of the evening. Three tiny gyro pitas composed of pork souvlaki, tomato, some onion, and tzatziki. My first bite transported me instantly to a souvlatzithiko down the street from my grandmother's house and despite being pretty full, I felt compelled to finish this off lest this great dish go to waste.

In addition to these plates, my buddy got a cheese platter and a hummus plate, and at the end of the night, the total per person was just about $25. Will definitely be back again soon!

[MarkS]

I live about a mile from Cava and it has become of of my go to places. Most of the dishes are great and there is enogh variety to keep me coming back. I am happy to see the place thriving and the owner expanding. They have outdoor tables which are ok, the table either face the parking lot or the main street with a bus stop.

Cava is a lot more interesting then the chains which have opened in the Rockville center.

[ol_ironstomach]

Cava is not only the only DC-area Greek restaurant (discounting Komi, which moves in larger circles) in recent memory that hasn't disappointed me, but it has actually grown even better on each subsequent visit. A very welcome addition to the otherwise spotty Rockville/G'burg dining scene.

I think their saganaki is the best I've had in years. Served on twin mini-skillets, the cheese is softened to the verge of melting out, with a nice crunch to the thin crust layer, and a nice level of lemon+ouzo. The cheese has a nice level of saltiness to it, which I suspect is from their use of kefalograviera, instead of the more common kasseri. The presentation is also more theatrical than most, as it casts a veritable tower of fire when flamed...you WILL draw the attention of the rest of the dining room.

Some other standouts: zucchini fritters. Also, their hors d'oeuvre-sized spanakopita are very perky, and you can taste the freshness of the spinach filling. The grilled spicy Greek sausage is also excellent. While the shrimp loukoumades and the grilled meatballs are both very good, they weren't nearly as exciting to me.

This week the fish of the day was whole branzino, moderately seasoned and with the skin cooked to a perfect crisp. Simply delicious, but too dear at $34.

The bread basket (warm pieces of pita) is accompanied by a small three-compartment dish containing (1) a somewhat bland olive oil, (2) some delicious kalamata olives in herbed oil, and (3) an addictive sundried tomato spread. The dessert list is a bit short, and apparently there wasn't enough demand for them to keep galaktoboureko on the menu Finally, if I have one criticism, it's that dill appears as a garnish a wee bit too frequently.

I've been developing a fondness for Boutari Naoussa by the glass with most of the plates, and it really plays well with the moderate salty note in many of the dishes. Tuesdays, I believe, are still half-price bottle night, but I don't drink enough by myself to warrant further exploration of their list.

Service indoors was excellent, with a brigade of proudly t-shirted staff (hey, two Greek flags per shirt!) constantly circulating among the tables. You can eat a panoply of small plates at Cava for a perfectly modest amount, and at the moment I'd choose them over the Bethesda Jaleo in a heartbeat. The dining room is pretty hopping on weekends and seems fairly popular through the rest of the week, so call ahead or plan to dine a little on the early side. The front door actually faces the Giant Food side of the plaza, not Traville Gateway Dr., so park in the massive supermarket lot.

[dmwine]

Finally, if I have one criticism, it's that dill appears as a garnish a wee bit too frequently.

A very mild criticism from a rather rave review!

I ate there for lunch this week while at a conference nearby at U-M Shady Grove. Sat at the bar and ordered the pork souvlaki sandwich, thinking it would be fast. Wasn't. The bartender who tried his best to ignore or forget me finally said the sandwiches take longer. Meanwhile, I was envying the guys who came in after me and ordered 2-3 mezzes and were served - and finished their lunch - before I got a sight of my own food.

Anyway, as I was contemplating leaving, my sandwich finally came out. I was glad I stayed. The pork was terrific, the fries very decent. I had to scarf them down WAY too fast as I was late, but I'd go back if it weren't out of the way.

Unfortunately, work intruded the second day of the conference and I wasn't able to go back and explore some more .......

[MMM]

3 of us headed out to Cava for dinner last night. Got there a little after 8 and found there would be a 45 minute wait for a table. The bar area was packed and noise level was very high. Decided not to wait. I wish they took reservations.

[Ted Xenohristos]

3 of us headed out to Cava for dinner last night. Got there a little after 8 and found there would be a 45 minute wait for a table. The bar area was packed and noise level was very high. Decided not to wait. I wish they took reservations.

Thanks to everyone posting about CAVA, the success so far has been tremendous and thanks to feedback like this we have been able to change the menu for the better and will continue to do so. As for reservations, the restaurant is usually full by 7pm, so I always recommend people come before that time or after 8. Its a small place and hard to accommodate reservations, but hopefully we will be able to expand very soon. There are some great dishes that I would recommend, and they are the OPA shrimp, the mini sandwiches, the grilled shrimp, the stewed lamb, our lamb chops and crab cakes are great also. The spinach pie and eggplant dip are good and so is the Village salad. For dessert I always recommend loukoumades, which are a Greek take on doughnuts. The grilled octopus also has changed, we now use a baby octopus that is more tender. As for the octopus in Greece, if people really knew what they were talking about they would know that it is frozen and imported from China. They than hang them outside their restaurants to make them look fresh for the tourists. Also the "sun dried tomato" dip is actually a harissa made from red peppers and tomatoes. Lastly, the pricing of the fish is what it is. If we pay alot for it we have to pass that on. Most of the times the grilled fish is 19.99-29.99. Thanks again to all and keep checking us out, a new menu will be released in the next 2 weeks. www.cavamezze.com

PS Thanks to those who recommended Ray's steaks, I had one of the best steaks ever there.

[porcupine]

There are some great dishes that I would recommend, and they are the OPA shrimp, the mini sandwiches, the grilled shrimp, the stewed lamb, our lamb chops and crab cakes are great also.

Lamb Chops!!!!!

Seriously - these are extremely good lamb chops. I've been on a lamb chop bender since trying them at Cava sveral weeks ago.

May I make a suggestion? The fries are great, too, but they get very soggy very quickly sitting under the chops. Maybe place them to the side?

[cjsadler]

txaggie and I had lunch there last week and really enjoyed it. The feta-jalapeno dip is incredibly addictive (so much so that we had a second order of it). The red wine braised meatballs (which were more of meat patties) were the other standout for me. Gonna have to go back for those lamb chops...

[Ted Xenohristos]

txaggie and I had lunch there last week and really enjoyed it. The feta-jalapeno dip is incredibly addictive (so much so that we had a second order of it). The red wine braised meatballs (which were more of meat patties) were the other standout for me. Gonna have to go back for those lamb chops...

Was the crazy feta the orange colored version or the white colored. We tried a different recipe and I am curious to see which one you liked.

[Al Dente]

Whaddaya know? There is good non-asian dining in Rockville.

I'm thrilled to have found this place, and it's only a 10 minute drive away. As mentioned above, the lamb chops were excellent, though they were a little more on the medium side than medium-rare as I would have preferred. I actually liked the somewhat soggy fries that came with-- that's how I remember them, when they were served beneath grilled meats, during time spent on the Greek islands. If the grilled Branzino is on special-- GET IT! It was simply seasoned and grilled to crispy-skinned perfection atop some delicious white beans.

Ask for a table away from the bar. We were seated right in front of it where the restaurant is at its narrowest. The bar crowd narrowed the flow through this area even more, so we were often in near collisions with the plate-laden busboys. Our waitress was friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about the joint. I have to give Cava props for having the most non-strip mall interior for a strip mall restaurant I've ever seen.

Thanks for a fine meal Ted,

Al

[LOL]

I live in Arlington, but have had dinner at cava 5 times already

and the must is baby lamb chop!!

[dinwiddie]

My wife and I stopped in at Cava yesterday. It was our first time, and I will say up front that we both decided that we would be willing to come back.

It is a medium sized space, fairly noisy but so what.

We ordered:

The Rocket Salad, baby arugula with feta, shaved kefalograviera cheese, and a lemon vinaigrette. It wasn't bad at all (I let her choose it since I'm not into arugula) but if anything had too much cheese.

Eggplant and Red Pepper Dip - Roasted eggplant, roasted red peppers, garlic, herbs & olive oil. It was served with a basket of hot pita pieces. Excellent, with a smokey flavor.

Fried Kalamari - Olive oil crisped kalamari served with lemon wedges and a dipping sauce that I can't really say what it contained. It was very good however, and the kalamari was light, crisp and not at all chewy.

Grilled Octopus - marinated in oil and lemon and grilled. This was my favorite dish, and since my wife will not eat octopus, I got to eat it all. I'll come back just to get this again.

Grilled baby lamb chops - served with lemon and oregano with olive oil crisped fries. The lamb chops were great, but the sauce was soaking the fries and turned them into limp lumps of potato. Good flavor, but not at all appetizing in appearance or texture.

We washed it down with a bottle of a 2006 Cchia Pinot Grigio (fair, a little to acidic, but at $27 not bad for Montgomery County.)

My complaint is that this place bills itself as a wine bar as well as a mezze place. I don't know if it is possible to have a real wine bar in Montgomery County, but the wine list here is ordinary at best. The prices are good for MoCo, but aside from the fact that there are quite a few Greek wines, there was nothing that would have excited even the most casual of wine geeks (which I admit to being). Perfectly alright for the casual wine drinker, but please, a wine bar, not hardly. Having a lot of wines availabel by the glass (and admittedly most of the wines on the list were) does not make a wine bar. Well maybe for MoCo it does, but if I was serious about having a wine bar, I would have opened it somewhere that makes it possible to have exciting wine on a consistent basis. However, as a restaurant, it was fun and worth the cost. As I said, we will be back. I don't know that we'll make it a destination, but when we are up at that end of the county, it will get consideration.

I must say that they have quite a list of martinis, and that appears to be their focus. However, since I hate martinis, I didn't try any of them. I'd call it a mezze restaurant and martini bar before I'd call it a wine bar. So go for the food, and the martinis, and have a great meal.

[MarkS]

Cava is a great place. I live less then a mile away in the Willows and usually run into half of my neighbors when i go. I would not call Cava a serious wine bar but the selection and price is great. The food would not mix well with a pretenious $150 burgundy and I'm glad they don't offer it. This is all about food , friends, conversation and a couple of glasses of wine.

[dinwiddie]

Cava is a great place. I live less then a mile away in the Willows and usually run into half of my neighbors when i go. I would not call Cava a serious wine bar but the selection and price is great. The food would not mix well with a pretenious $150 burgundy and I'm glad they don't offer it. This is all about food , friends, conversation and a couple of glasses of wine.

I have no problem with the wines they chose, and as I said their list would be more than adequate for the casual wine drinker. But wine bar to me means that I can get something exciting, and where the focus is the wine. In now way would I consider Cava to be focused on wine, martinis maybe, but not wine.

Agreed the food would not match well with a pretentious $150 Burgundy, but it would match well with an unpretentious Cotes de Rhone or a nice Rioja.

And as I said, I liked the place and will go back.

[Popover]

Love CAVA but got to say I am nervous about more than one location. I have been the sad witness of more than one really good local restaurant in Rockville going down hill after ambitous expansion. I don't even want to think about what I will do without my Friday Metro and Lamb Chop!

[Ted Xenohristos]

I have no problem with the wines they chose, and as I said their list would be more than adequate for the casual wine drinker. But wine bar to me means that I can get something exciting, and where the focus is the wine. In now way would I consider Cava to be focused on wine, martinis maybe, but not wine.

Agreed the food would not match well with a pretentious $150 Burgundy, but it would match well with an unpretentious Cotes de Rhone or a nice Rioja.

And as I said, I liked the place and will go back.

As far as the wine goes, your right...the montgomery county mafia has held me back from doing what i wanted to do when we opened. When we open in DC, you will see why we billed ourselves as a wine bar. The Greek wines are really good, besides Italy, Greece has the most indigenous varieties in the world. I offer more Greek wine, because i am Greek and have been many times and just know more about them. I had a rioja and a cote du rhone and neither sold, so I replaced them with Greek wines that I think are amazing. Some recommendations are the malagouzia, and roditis, both of which are white. The reds, we have a Mountrihas Petite syrah that is great, and a bottle called Monopatis which is $60 and can be had for half price on Tuesday. This winery was named one of Europe's top 50. I like to think that we are a wine bar in the sense that for our size and the are we serve in we offer over 50 wines and not the normal Luna di luna like you find at every other restaurant. Thanks for the nice reviews everyone.

PS The Santorini Gavala is our most popular and I will be adding more wines from santorini. TThe vines are cultivated in low basket shaped crowns, close to the ground for protection from the strong winds. Coming off the sea, the nocturnal fog brings needed water to the vines during the hot summer nights. Its very interesting to see the vineyards in Santorini...

[Ted Xenohristos]

Love CAVA but got to say I am nervous about more than one location. I have been the sad witness of more than one really good local restaurant in Rockville going down hill after ambitous expansion. I don't even want to think about what I will do without my Friday Metro and Lamb Chop!

Dont be nervous my friend, there are 3 of us owners, and we would not over expand, but we feel between 3 of us, we can make sure that the standards are up held.

Ted

[baczkowski]

I stopped in a couple weeks ago and had a pretty good solo meal. I had the souvlaki, which was ok, and the braised beef and olive oil fries, which was initially outstanding. Essentially upscale-chili-cheese-fries. I was impressed by how large this second dish was and I was over-stuffed when I left (even though I resisted filling up on the tons of bread they put on your table). I would actually call the size/amount a drawback, though, b/c I would have been over-stuffed if it was the only thing I ate, the quality of the fries and cheese suffered as it sat on my table, and the sauce with the braised beef wore on me as I slowed down, though I loved it when it first arrived. But for $8, you can't beat this dish. And I'd love it even more if it was 20% smaller and cost a buck less. Too bad I forgot to try the lamb chop, though that whole fish was quite tempting, too.

Pax,

Brian

[dinwiddie]

As far as the wine goes, your right...the montgomery county mafia has held me back from doing what i wanted to do when we opened. When we open in DC, you will see why we billed ourselves as a wine bar. The Greek wines are really good, besides Italy, Greece has the most indigenous varieties in the world. I offer more Greek wine, because i am Greek and have been many times and just know more about them. I had a rioja and a cote du rhone and neither sold, so I replaced them with Greek wines that I think are amazing. Some recommendations are the malagouzia, and roditis, both of which are white. The reds, we have a Mountrihas Petite syrah that is great, and a bottle called Monopatis which is $60 and can be had for half price on Tuesday. This winery was named one of Europe's top 50. I like to think that we are a wine bar in the sense that for our size and the are we serve in we offer over 50 wines and not the normal Luna di luna like you find at every other restaurant. Thanks for the nice reviews everyone.

PS The Santorini Gavala is our most popular and I will be adding more wines from santorini. TThe vines are cultivated in low basket shaped crowns, close to the ground for protection from the strong winds. Coming off the sea, the nocturnal fog brings needed water to the vines during the hot summer nights. Its very interesting to see the vineyards in Santorini...

I will go back to try the Greek wines, I just wasn't in the mood (and my wife loves Pinot Grigio) for something else at the time. I want to reiterate that I am not berating you for not haveing what I consider great wines, because you have a better than average selection of Greek wine, but rather that in MoCo, it is probably not possible to have a good wine bar and I found Cava to be more focused on the martinis than the wine (it may have been because it was $5 martini night) and I had gone expecting more of a wine bar. All in all, I really enjoyed my meal and I will definitely return whenever I am up that way.

[Ted Xenohristos]

I will go back to try the Greek wines, I just wasn't in the mood (and my wife loves Pinot Grigio) for something else at the time. I want to reiterate that I am not berating you for not haveing what I consider great wines, because you have a better than average selection of Greek wine, but rather that in MoCo, it is probably not possible to have a good wine bar and I found Cava to be more focused on the martinis than the wine (it may have been because it was $5 martini night) and I had gone expecting more of a wine bar. All in all, I really enjoyed my meal and I will definitely return whenever I am up that way.

I didnt think you were berating me, I just wanted to explain how we were held back a little by the county and the fact that we were newly opened. We have now added a tempranillo from rioja, a Howell Mt. cab, and now have over 30% of our list offered by the glass. We have added over 10 new bottles and hope people will try some of the Greek varietals. We are a work in progress, hopefully by our 1 year anniversary we will have perfected it all. Any wine additions recommended here, I will surely take into consideration for adding to out list.

Ted

[DanielK]

Since we have a $20 Tuesday scheduled here a few weeks from now, I thought I'd belatedly post about a lunch that the Rockville Pike Lunch Club had here a few weeks ago.

We had:

Spicy hummus (very good hummus, spiked with harissa)

Saganaki (just the perfect amount of oil and lemon, and melted all the way through)

Dolmades (A touch oily for me, but good flavor, probably the least interesting dish we had)

Baby lamb chops (We should have specified medium rare, but even at medium well, these were fabulous)

Braised meatballs (BIG meatballs, though I thought the tomato sauce could have used a little more punch)

Fried calamari (Breading needed a bit more kick, but perfectly crispy and very tender squid)

We left stuffed (probably could have ordered 1 less dish), but with tax, tip, and soft drinks, we were still under $20. Definitely a fine addition to the Gaithersburg/Rockville dining scene.

[synaesthesia]

My friends and I formed a group of eight tonight. They were very nice to us.

Ditto everything everyone said about the lamb chops. Holy crap, I was trying to prise what I could off with my teeth. Amazingly tender. The meat platter was simply fantastic.

Zucchini fritters were also a winner as were the dips. French fries really didn't do it for me. Spanakopita was creamy and good, but seemed to blend in with all the dips that we were consuming. I loved the taramosalata, which was made from salmon roe unlike cod roe that I've had before. We also had the flambeed cheese, whichever that one was. It reminded me of halloumi but a little bit more pliable. The outside was crisp and delicious.

I really wish the place had more light so I could really see what I was eating. It's a bit too loud for it to be romantic, so you might as well turn the lights up, unless it's a club atmosphere. And we were definitely the youngest folks in the place by a long shot, except for the servers.

We had the Loukoumades (Greek donuts). I wished they were a little more porous as they didn't really soak up the honey. They reminded me of the donuts you get at Chinese buffets - very dense and almost roll-like. But then I don't know what they are supposed to be like, so who am I to say.

This was very odd. I ordered a soda, which I almost never do, and it was very flat. I asked the bartender for another one, and it was a little bit better. But still... weird!

[jandres374]

Cava continues to produce very good food and drink and moderate prices.

Had the following:

Baby lamb chops (grilled to a perfect medium rare) - the bed fires just merely acceptable, little too thick an undercooked for my liking

Grilled Meatballs - very tasty and a big hit with kids who thought they were hamburgers

Grilled Octopus - just merely good nothing to really right home about

Spanikoptia - big hit with my 6 year old

Also had the calamari (little greasy) and Hummus for the kids which were also very good. All in all another great meal here. Good attentive service and good value.

Arrived close to opening around 5 pm with a few tables already seated. When we left about 1 hour later place was packed and we had to fight our way out the front door.

[Tujague]

From Tom's chat Wednesday:

Rockville, Md.: Hi Mr. Sietsema, Cava chef owner here with a quick question, what do think of the area where Belga Cafe is at for a new Cava? Thank you.

Tom Sietsema: You mean the EXACT SPOT or the area AROUND Belga? Either way, I'd show up.

Any thoughts on this possibility? I've never been to this place in Rockville, but it sounds like it could be a good addition to the Hill--certainly better than Taverna! I wonder what building he may be looking at?

[DonRocks]

A brusque review of this brusque restaurant:

Reception - Curt.

Service - Efficient.

Wines - Workable.

Pita - Respectable.

Taramosalata ($5.95) - Ample.

Avgolemono ($5.95) - Comforting.

Zucchini Fritters ($5.95) - Moist.

Grilled Octopus ($10.95) - Adolescent.

Greek Fries ($6.95) - Disjoint.

Lamb Kapama ($9.95) - Burdensome.

Loukoumades ($6.95) - Undercooked.

Life's too short to dislike Cava; life's also too short to rush back.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[MarkS]

Don

Cava is in walking distance to where I live. Its value raises when I can get there in 5 minutes as opposed to 30 minutes to Bethesda.

Mark

[Pat]

From Tom's chat Wednesday:Any thoughts on this possibility? I've never been to this place in Rockville, but it sounds like it could be a good addition to the Hill--certainly better than Taverna! I wonder what building he may be looking at?

They've taken over the Marty's space, as of very recently.

[Tweaked]

So what's taking over the Bread & Chocolate space?...they have now closed and stuff being auctioned.

[Spiral Stairs]

So what's taking over the Bread & Chocolate space?...they have now closed and stuff being auctioned.

Le Pain Quotidien.

[Tujague]

They've taken over the Marty's space, as of very recently.

Seriously?? I had the most horrendous breakfast of my life at Marty's a few years back (how do you f*** up toast, fer chrissake?), and have wished for its demise for years. I figured it was too popular to go down, but this is good news, as far as I'm concerned. (Glad to hear about Le Pain Quotidien, too.)

[MarkS]

Last night was crazy at Cava. The owners need to expand or rethink their policies. My wife and I arrived at 7pm and were told 45 minute wait. No problems, since the bar was jammed we walked over to another place(name escpares me La Vinque) for a glass of wine. Came back at 7:45 and did not get seated for another 45 minutes. Then the place was so loud and dark that it was hard to read menu of talk to waitress. Food at this point was thrown at us faster then once could imagine how it is really cooked to order.

My predicition is that Cava is soon to be a victim of its sucess. What started out as pleasant, tastly and popular is now crazy and obnoxious.

[Ted Xenohristos]

Last night was crazy at Cava. The owners need to expand or rethink their policies. My wife and I arrived at 7pm and were told 45 minute wait. No problems, since the bar was jammed we walked over to another place(name escpares me La Vinque) for a glass of wine. Came back at 7:45 and did not get seated for another 45 minutes. Then the place was so loud and dark that it was hard to read menu of talk to waitress. Food at this point was thrown at us faster then once could imagine how it is really cooked to order.

My predicition is that Cava is soon to be a victim of its sucess. What started out as pleasant, tastly and popular is now crazy and obnoxious.

A few things in reply to this email. As the owner, I would like to touch on some subjects written here.

"The owners need to expand or rethink their policies."

WHEN WE FIRST HAD AN IDEA TO OPEN A PLACE, NO ONE WOULD GIVE US A SHOT...NOT A SHOPPING CENTER, NOT A SINGLE LANDLORD. WE TOOK THE SPACE THAT WE COULD GET AND NOW IT HAS BECOME SO POPULAR PEOPLE ARE DEMANDING WE EXPAND. WE ARE OPENING A 2ND LOCATION THAT IS 3 TIMES THE SIZE IN THE NEXT 2 MONTHS. IF ANYONE IS LOOKING TO DONATE TO THE EXPAND CAVA FUND PLEASE LET ME KNOW, BECAUSE LAST TIME I CHECKED THE ECONOMY WAS IN SHAMBLES AND IT IS NOT SO EASY TO JUST EXPAND. ALSO, OUR WAIT TIMES ARE NOT THAT LONG BETWEEN SUNDAY AND THURSDAY, NOR ARE THEY THAT LONG ANYTIME NOT BETWEEN 7 AND 8PM. EVERYONE LIKES TO GO OUT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT AT 7PM TO 8PM AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE THE PRESSURE IT PUTS ON A 60 SEAT RESTAURANT IF 200 PEOPLE ARE AT THE DOOR.

"Then the place was so loud and dark that it was hard to read menu of talk to waitress."

PEOPLE ENJOY THE DARKNESS AND LOUDNESS...MANY TIMES THE ATMOSPHERE IS A MAJOR DRAW. IF IT WAS TOO DARK AND YOU HAD MENTIONED IT TO THE SERVER, WE HAVE SMALL LIGHTS THAT WE SUPPLY FOR CUSTOMERS OR LIKE MANY PEOPLE DO USE THE CANDLES AT THE TABLE WHICH ARE PLASTIC FLICKER LIGHTS AND NOT REAL WAX.

"Food at this point was thrown at us faster then once could imagine how it is really cooked to order"

THIS ONE GETS ME THE MOST. IF YOU ARE GOING TO QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF MY RESTAURANT, PLEASE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. I INVITE YOU ANY DAY YOU WANT TO WATCH MY KITCHEN STAFF PREPARE THE FRESHEST FOODS AND ONLY COOK TO ORDER. WE ARE A MEZZE RESTAURANT, WHICH IS LIKE TAPAS. IF YOU ORDER 10 PLATES YOU WILL GET 10 PLATES. THE POINT OF THE PAPER MENU IS SO THAT YOU CAN ORDER 1 OR 2 THINGS, AND ADD ON AS YOU GO ALL THE WHILE SHARING THE SMALL PLATES.

"Came back at 7:45 and did not get seated for another 45 minutes."

ALL I CAN SAY TO THIS IS THAT THERE IS ALWAYS 2 SIDES TO A STORY. BUT I AM NOT HERE TO ARGUE WHETHER I AM RIGHT OR WRONG, BECAUSE THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT. DID YOU ASK FOR A MANAGER THAT NIGHT TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION? I AM SURE WE WOULD HAVE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED IF IT WAS SOMETHING WE WERE AT FAULT ABOUT.

"My predicition is that Cava is soon to be a victim of its sucess. What started out as pleasant, tastly and popular is now crazy and obnoxious."

THIS ONE STRIKES ME OUT AS SOMEONE WHO HAS AN AXE TO GRIND. A VICITM OF OUR SUCCESS? WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE AN EMPTY RESTAURANT WHERE I MAKE PEOPLE WAIT OUTSIDE IN THE COLD? ALSO CRAZY AND OBNOXIOUS IS A PERSONAL OPINION, SOME PEOPLE WOULD CALL IT CHARMING AND ALIVE.

WE TRY OUR HARDEST TO PLEASE EVERYONE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR EXPERIENCE IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BRING THEM BACK. MANY TIMES OUT OF 300 PEOPLE SERVED ONE OR 2 MAY HAVE A PROBLEM, AND WE TRY OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE WE FIX IT THAT NIGHT. WE CANNOT FIX PROBLEMS IF WE ARE UNAWARE OF THEM. OUR FOOD IS FRESH DAILY AND COOKED TO ORDER FOR EVERY SINGLE ITEM. CAVA IS WHAT IT IS...IT IS A SMALL RESTAURANT WITH GREAT FOOD AND GREAT ATMOSPHERE. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A CHAIN WITH CERTAIN EXPECTATIONS THAN THIS IS NOT THE SPOT FOR YOU. MY PREDICTION IS THAT CAVA WILL BE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CUSTOMERS. I HAVE 1000 EMAILS TO BACK THAT UP. FINALLY, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MAY HAVE HAD A FRUSTRATING NIGHT, BUT I HAVE BEEN TO SO MANY PLACES, INCLUDING TOP 5 PLACES, BEST BARGAINS, TOM SIETSEMA'S FAVORITES AND HAVE HAD BAD EXPERIENCES AT SOME AND I HAVE ALWAYS GONE BACK AND MANY TIMES I HAD A GREAT 2ND EXPERIENCE.

[MarkS]

A few things in reply to this email. As the owner, I would like to touch on some subjects written here.

Ted

I'll be back and yes it could have been a bad night.

The lamb chops were great but when the other 5 dishes we ordered came at the same time we were overwhelmed.

Mark

[DonRocks]

Ted

I'll be back and yes it could have been a bad night.

The lamb chops were great but when the other 5 dishes we ordered came at the same time we were overwhelmed.

Mark

When I went to Cava a couple weeks ago, I held onto the menu and coursed out the meal, ordering course x+1 whenever I was halfway through course x. Like Cork and Zaytinya, Cava brings everything when it's ready, so unless you want to be bombarded, you have to space out the ordering; our server was perfectly comfortable accomodating this.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[schulju]

When I went to Cava a couple weeks ago, I held onto the menu and coursed out the meal, ordering course x+1 whenever I was halfway through course x. Like Cork and Zaytinya, Cava brings everything when it's ready, so unless you want to be bombarded, you have to space out the ordering; our server was perfectly comfortable accomodating this.

Cheers,

Rocks.

I am a Cava regular as I work just down the street. I agree wtih Rocks that you need to control the pace of your own dining experience there, but I also think a well trained server would explain this to a patron.

As a frequent diner and fan of the restaurant, I do find that the kitchen is not always consistent, I can tell when Dimitri is not in the house. When "Cava-2" opens, I wonder what will happen to the quality at the original location if Dimitri isn't in the kitchen.

[Ted Xenohristos]

I am a Cava regular as I work just down the street. I agree wtih Rocks that you need to control the pace of your own dining experience there, but I also think a well trained server would explain this to a patron.

As a frequent diner and fan of the restaurant, I do find that the kitchen is not always consistent, I can tell when Dimitri is not in the house. When "Cava-2" opens, I wonder what will happen to the quality at the original location if Dimitri isn't in the kitchen.

I do not think you would you know when Dimitri was in the kitchen or not. I am not saying that to be rude, but Dimitri is a professional and is capable of training a chef while at the same time being hands on and keeping the consistency. We have become more consistent in the last few months, and if your interested you may email me at ted@cavamezze.com and I will have Dimitri and another chef prepare you 3 dishes and you may try to pick out which was made by whom. I am pretty sure that Jose Andres is not cooking at jaleo, zaytinya, minibar, oyamel..etc all by himself every night. Does he get a pass for being famous? Anyways, let me know if you want to take me up on that offer, of course the dishes will be on me.

Thank you

Ted

[DonRocks]

I am pretty sure that Jose Andres is not cooking at jaleo, zaytinya, minibar, oyamel..etc all by himself every night. Does he get a pass for being famous?

I'd say he's gotten the biggest free pass in the history of this city.

(Congratulations on your new opening!)

Cheers,

Rocks.

[Michael Landrum]

I do not think you would you know when Dimitri was in the kitchen or not. I am not saying that to be rude, but Dimitri is a professional and is capable of training a chef while at the same time being hands on and keeping the consistency.

Thank you

Ted

I tasted some of their mezze at Whole Foods the other week, and I can honestly say that they were some of the best I have ever had (outside of when I was up in Lebanon). I am so excited that they are finally open up nearby and can't wait to get there.

[DPop]

I tasted some of their mezze at Whole Foods the other week, and I can honestly say that they were some of the best I have ever had (outside of when I was up in Lebanon). I am so excited that they are finally open up nearby and can't wait to get there.

The Crazy Feta dip is unreal. I can easily plow through a whole container in one sitting.

[Tujague]

I hear they opened last Friday. Any early reports? Open for dinner only? Do they take reservations?

[hillvalley]

They are currently open for dinner only. Once dinner is running smoothly they will ease into lunch, no clear time line yet. Still figuring out reservations-it sounds like they haven't decided what to do yet. For now I recommend giving them a call.

Rainy Thursday night, a week and a half after they opened, and they were packed, bar included.

Dinner tonight surpassed expectations. Our waiter was attentive and helpful. The portions are generous; the food uncomplicated and good. Two of us had 4 mezze and one dessert. We left stuffed.

The lamb sliders were the highlight of the evening. Nice size, excellent meat to toasted bread ratio, just enough topping to add to the lamb. Juicy and delish.

Fried calamari is a close second. Some of the best fried calamari I have had in a long time. Light, crispy fry, tender squid, tasty seasoning in the batter. Not a fan of the accompanying sauce, but the calamari alone were so flavorful you don't need it.

We also had the eggplant spread and a mushroom grits dish (don't remember the name). Both were also very good.

Andre, one of the owners, stopped by a number of times to check in on us. He was very receptive to suggestion and feedback. I noticed throughout the night that he made a point of stopping by many tables to check in.

The only two major negatives are that the background music is very loud and the dip that was brought out with a basket of warm, tasty pita. Don't know what the dip is made of because it was sooooo spicy that we were unable to discern any other flavors. The dip (which is also served with olives and olive oil) was placed down without any warning about how spicy it was. I hate to think of what would happen if a little one or someone with a sensitive palate dug in.

I've never been to the Rockville location, so I can't compare, but if the CH location is able to keep up what they pulled off tonight I think they have a good future ahead of them.

[Tujague]

Sunday evening was a beautiful evening to dine outside, and we were lucky enough to snag a patio table at Cava on Barracks Row last night for our first visit there. We aimed first at the cocktail menu--Bob went for a traditional mojito ($10) and I had an apricot mint julep ($9). Both were well made, and substantial--they lasted through the entire meal. (We didn't really look at the wine menu, but the pours looked to be good-sized.)

We went for five mezze--probably one more than we should have tackled. Bob was a big fan of the taramosalato (whipped salmon roe), which comes out looking like a big scoop of strawberry ice cream, but tastes more like salmon fluff. The tyropita (feta and goat cheese in phyllo) was perhaps the least successful dish--sort of like big triangles of tangy whipped cream cheese with a very thin crust--too much cheese, not enough phyllo. The zucchini fritters are much better--golden brown but very light inside, with discernible shreds of squash. The waiter talked us into the lamb sliders--2 for $10.95--but they are much larger than your traditional sliders, and fairly spicy. Finally we had the disco fries--indistinguished french fries with a nice braised veal and pork ragu on top and a bit too much feta.

It was an enjoyable meal, and there's more on the menu I want to try out. If few things we had were absolutely outstanding, this is nevertheless a wonderful addition to the Hill dining scene. And I get the feeling that it has yet to be discovered--crowds were gathered outside Matchbox a doors down waiting on tables, as they were at Las Placitas, and even Jordan's 8 and Fusion Cafe had surprisingly strong business, while Cava was comparatively light. I felt a little like we were dining at Straits of Malaya and looking with pity at the throngs across the street at Lauriol Plaza, knowing we were getting the better deal.

[JLK]

My friend and I found our way to Cava in SE last week when, as suggested above, Matchbox was full. We only ordered a few dishes - enough to leave with a bill of $52 (pre tip) divided by two with one glass of wine each, and yet left with full bellies.

We started with hummus in the interest of time because both of us were really hungry. It was...you know, hummus with pita. We got what we expected.

As hillvalley noted, the lamb sliders are a hit: juicy and full of flavor, although a bit sloppy thanks to said juice plus chopped tomatoes, red onions and feta. As she also noted, the roasted red peppers we received alongside olive oil and olives are beyond spicy. We also enjoyed meatballs marinated in a lemon sauce and souvlaki (isn't chicken great when it's not overcooked?).

Nice atmosphere and eager to please service in my friend's new neighborhood so I expect to return.

[Pat]

A friend and I had an enjoyable meal at the Barracks Row location last night. We each ordered 3 mezze, which was probably a bit too much . On the other hand, the only food left at the end was one lamb slider, one olive, and a small cube of feta . In addition to the sliders, which are indeed spicy, and the feta/olive plate, we had dolmades, spanakopita, stuffed eggplant with raisins and pine nuts, and the shrimp stuffed with crab. Everything was very good. I think I would have appreciated the sliders, which came out last, more earlier in the meal, but they probably take the longest to cook. It was a bit too much spice to digest after I'd filled up on the other dishes, plus lots of pita.

Our server was quite helpful and attentive. Other than a couple of errant food runners trying to give us other tables' food, service overall was good. I wouldn't have thought so earlier in the day, but it was a nice night for sitting outside.

Like hillvalley, I'm wondering what the spicy red dip was that came out with the pita. I should have asked. It seemed almost like harissa. I enjoyed it, in any case, and ate quite a bit of it. It seemed similar to or the same as the red condiment on the lamb sliders, which I was pretty sure was harissa.

[Dr. Delicious]

I ate here recently and really enjoyed the Mini Pork Pita, which was just that, namely a miniature gyro with pork (obviously). It includes 3 good sized mini pita sandwiches of nicely seasoned pork (as opposed to the lamb sliders, which I think are overcome by the spiceyness) and well accoutered. I'd get them every time!

[cheezepowder]

Like hillvalley, I'm wondering what the spicy red dip was that came out with the pita. I should have asked. It seemed almost like harissa. I enjoyed it, in any case, and ate quite a bit of it. It seemed similar to or the same as the red condiment on the lamb sliders, which I was pretty sure was harissa.

I think this answers your question - harissa like you thought.

Also the "sun dried tomato" dip is actually a harissa made from red peppers and tomatoes.

Cava's dips including the harissa are available at Whole Foods. I've bought a few of them from the Whole Foods near me including the harissa which is not as "mild" as it says on their website. I used it as a spread for sandwiches, and it was spicy.

[Pat]

I think this answers your question - harissa like you thought.

Cava's dips including the harissa are available at Whole Foods. I've bought a few of them from the Whole Foods near me including the harissa which is not as "mild" as it says on their website. I used it as a spread for sandwiches, and it was spicy.

Thanks. It's good

[Pat]

Cava again last night. Added hummus, saganaki, and chicken souvlaki to their dishes I have now tried. Really like this place, but the music inside was way too loud.

[leleboo]

Went tonight up to 8th St for an early Sunday dinner outside, with dog in tow. They were incredibly accommodating of the pup and very attentive.

Zucchini fritters with tzatziki were lovely, and the stuffed eggplant had the right ratio of eggplant-onion-pine nuts to combine sweet, sour, crunch -- very nice. The mussels had quite a bit of fennel and lightly browned sliced garlic, which I quite enjoy, in an ouzo-laced broth.

Asparagus with lemon and feta were very thick, but not woody. They looked heavily charred, but in fact the grilling worked quite well and wasn't overbearing. I brought the leftovers home for lunch tomorrow.

The hub had the lamb sliders (meaning I tasted, or more than!). Very tasty, with harissa and tzatziki in addition to arugula and diced onion. As usual, with any burger(esque) item, I ditch half the bun for a better meat-to-bread ratio, but hub dipped the remainder of my bun in the mussel broth.

Overall, a very enjoyable Sunday night meal al fresco ... nothing life-altering, but definitely worth the outing.

As to drinks: the Greek rose was a bit on the sweet side, but I generally find that with Greek roses (am I missing something or is that standard for Greek roses imported here?) and frankly it worked with the food.

[Pat]

Kastoria beans were the surprise highlight of last night's meal--flavorful and perfectly cooked. I don't know what I expected from them (my husband ordered this dish), but they far exceeded my expectations. We ordered five dishes from five different parts of the menu. The cheese mezze was tyropita. I tried to let the these cool a bit before biting in but got the hot molten lava cheese effect anyway. I should have waited longer, but these were good nonetheless. Pork souvlaki had a nice grilled flavor, though I think I prefer the seasoning of the chicken version.

Two disappointments: The dolmades were a bit bigger than I recall--too big to eat in one bite, but too hard to cut into without pulling them apart. It seemed these were made with larger, tougher grape leaves than before. Probably just a normal variation in quality, and I'll try them again.

I had wanted to try the pastitsio and discovered that they've taken it off the menu. I went with the Bolognese pasta mezze instead, which was all right but not what I was set on.

I've eaten my way through a good part of the menu here now, and it's been almost all hits.

[Tweaked]

Four of us hit up the Barracks Row Cava last night for dinner. Liked what they have done with the place. Food was solid to good, nothing really stood out as great, but certainly worth repeat visits.

we went with:

hummus - it was hummus

watermelon salad - probably the stand out dish of the night, despite being over priced. $10.95 for three chunks of watermelon and feta???

spanakopita - another star

cava fries - fries with yogurt dipping sauce...yum.!

grilled asparagus with feta - the woody end of the stalks were very fiberous, but otherwise good

asparagus frittata - the miss of the night, not very good at all.

cava mac&cheese - sounded better than it was...kind of watery and bland.

braised short ribs - a healthy pile of shredded short ribs for $9.95 (see watermelon pricing above!)

lamb dish - meh, nothing special.

[Pat]

Four of us hit up the Barracks Row Cava last night for dinner. Liked what they have done with the place.

It's hard to believe that was Marty's. The only things that remind me are the location/setup of the bathrooms and the front glass that opens up onto the patio.

[ktmoomau]

So I met a group of friends on Barracks Row on Friday night. Friday night was an extremely nice evening not being cold or hot or humid. We decided as the wait times for inside and out varied by about 10 minutes we would wait for out. We went over to Matchbox for beer and cocktails (btw yes the buzzer still works over there, which is great). I had the ginger cocktail, which is a bit sweet, but I figured that and don't mind a sweet cocktail now and then as I have a huge sweet tooth.

Our buzzer went off and we headed over to Cava. We started with bottles of Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, as white non-chardonnay was requested. Out came pita which was pretty good, but nowhere near Zaytinya, Lebanese Taverna or Me Janna pita. I really like my pita like a good french baguette a little crisp on the outside but soft and tender within. The pita came with a spicy red pepper tapenade, olive oil and olives, which was refilled gratis upon request, a nice touch.

We then had the tough decision about ordering. Going to a new tapas place it is always difficult to judge the amount of food to order, so we thought about two dishes per person, with a couple of us extra hungry people ordering four, or three. Our waiter very nicely told us when to stop and said I think that will be enough, if I am wrong you can order more and I will get it out to you quickly. I appreciate the honesty as the advice turned out to be right on.

The list of things I sampled:

Calamari- the sauce was unexpectedly spicy in a very good way, the squid was not over battered, but had a nice coating, I really enjoyed this version. Not amazingly different in any way, but very good, and a crowd pleaser after a drink or two.

Hummus- good, not as good as Lebanese Taverna Market or Tarbouch (they have very creamy hummus with a good tang that not a lot of other hummus can top for me), but this one came close.

Sauteed Squash- good flavor, but a tad bit undercooked for me, I like mine a bit more cooked, especially with larger squash as the skin is a bit firmer.

Sparraggia- we had two orders of this and it was great. I loved the lemon with the feta with perfectly grilled asparagus, not to crisp, but held it's shape and flavor. Really a nice choice for a veggie- if you wanted something a bit healthier than we were going for without the feta it would be a great healthy veggie side.

Lollipop Filet- this was excellent, the filet was cooked about medium, but not on the hard medium side, the shrimp had great flavor not over or undercooked, it had a ncie mix of tomato and feta.

Pork Souvlaki- nice grilled pork, still tender, but the grill flavor was really nice.

Filet Souvlaki- also very good, simple grilled steak that tasted very nice, still very tender.

Opa Opa shrimp- I don't think we actually ordered this, if we did we couldn't remember but the server insisted it was ours so we ate it and it was good. I was happy with so much shrimp that it all was cooked well and seasoned nicely.

Grilled Scallops- These were a highlight, nicely cooked with a good balance of acid.

Last but not least comes the short ribs, which are a high end version of chili cheese fries for me. Braised short rib with cinnamon and burgundy, fries, feta all piled up. This was the perfect I have had a cocktail and a good bit of wine last dish for me.

All in all it was a nice evening, we will definitely go back as we were happy with the food. A good bit of dishes had feta, but that could have been our ordering, and we could have requested without but it was very nice feta, not dry at all. The outside seating is really nice here. It was fun with a group as we got to try so much.

The boys ended with Ouzo which us ladies declined.

[DanielK]

Hummus- good, not as good as Lebanese Taverna Market or Tarbouch (they have very creamy hummus with a good tang that not a lot of other hummus can top for me), but this one came close.

Next time try the spicy hummus, mixed with harissa, instead.

[leleboo]

Went to the bar up on Barracks Row tonight (super early) to meet a friend who mysteriously appeared from out of town. Drinks were nice (the Assyrtico for me, which was nicely mineral, and the rose for him); the calamari not at all greasy, and the grilled haloumi nicely flavorful although a bit on the chewy side -- it definitely can't "sit" as you eat it slowly, as it needs the heat to be, well, non-rubbery.

The most fun, however, was the conversation with the bartender when we sat down. I'm not a tall girl, but my friend is closing in on six feet -- not absurdly tall, but no slouch (literally and figuratively), either -- but we both felt short sitting at the bar. As I clambered into my bar stool, I was looking for the purse hook under the bar, and the bartender noticed and said they were a recent addition. He went on to add that when they opened, they got three complaints about the bar: 1) no hooks (remedied); 2) no footrests (remedied); 3) the bar was too high. This last is still the case, insofar as if you sit at the bar and don't have an inordinately and possibly disproportionately long torso, you feel like an eight-year-old just big enough to be at the grown-up table -- the bar hits you mid-chest or higher. The bartender told us they've ordered new stools that will correct this, and also that their original plan had the bar one inch lower, which would have made all the difference -- and, geeks that we are, we totally took the measure of this, and he was completely right.

In any case, if you've been to the bar there and had an odd throwback to childhood, you can rest assured that the near future will accommodate your adulthood. (The bar stools are quite pretty, though; I wonder what they're doing with the twenty or so they've got currently...?)

[jayandstacey]

Oddest recommendation I've ever had for a place: Switch the hinges to the other side of the door to the Men's room!

Oddly, if you sit at the right chair at the right table, and someone opens the men's room door while the lights are on in the men's room, you get an almost blinding shot in the eye of the light above the sink. This place is VERY dark and the what wouldn't be an issue elsewhere is really a jarring event when your pupils are fully dialated.

Moving the hinges would also have the effect of not letting diners see into the men's room. Sure, someone in the mens room could open the door into someone else walking in the hallway - but that risk exists with the hinges on either side.

Otherwise, the food, service, atmosphere and overall experience was great. Really, really great. We had our kids with us, and we were served promptly, the noise level was pretty high and the food was well liked - all things I've mentioned before as important to a party with kids.

Others have posted the virtues of the various interesting dishes, so I'll focus on what we ordered for the kids:

"Cava Mac and Cheese" was really noodles and cheese. A very generous portion might have suffered from too much Kefalograviera cheese sauce but was very smooth and flavorful. It was probably the most unique mac and cheese order we've gotten anywhere and the kids, who aren't adventurous, loved it.

"Greek Grilled Cheese" was further off the 'expected' scale and OUTRAGEOUSLY good! It came as 2 or 3 little sandwiches each the diameter of a tennis ball. They were simple - a dense bread/buiscuit with a thick slice of dry, complex Kefalograviera cheese - which is flavorful yet not overpowering. The whole thing is drizzled with honey. So simple, yet nothing like anything I've ever had. Once again, the kids loved it. I fought for nibbles.

We can't wait to go back. I might bring a wood chisel and screwdriver just in case - I can swap a door over in about 20 minutes if I have too

[jayandstacey]

Oddest recommendation I've ever had for a place: Switch the hinges to the other side of the door to the Men's room!

...

We can't wait to go back. I might bring a wood chisel and screwdriver just in case - I can swap a door over in about 20 minutes if I have too

OK, I really couldn't wait to go back, so tonight my wife and I went sans progeny.

The harissa dip is, I swear, a paste form of the red peppers you might sprinkle on pizza. Took me two trips to place the flavor, and I doubt they're MADE from dried pepper flakes - but the net flavor and heat level is like those flakes. Loved it, and glad to see (above) that I could buy it for home should I choose.

We ate light. We ordered:

Zucchini Fritters: Delightful golfball-sized zucchini and cheese fritters that might appear over-cooked on the outside but are smooth, creamy and firm inside with only a thin, crisy shell. These can be cut with a knife without collapsing, which is good because you'll need to. The Fritters come with a Tzitziki sauce that I swear has Feta secretly mixed in. The result is a tangy almost tart sauce, which in some cases I might not like but against the very calm fritters, and in moderation, makes a great combo.

Scallops Risotto: 3 large scallops over mushroom and saffron risotto - very nice. The risotto was a little gummy for my taste and the scallops a little firm (overcooked?) - but maybe I'm just used to thinner risotto and more buttery scallops. The taste was GREAT and we practically inhaled this.

Baklava: Enough to share, very fresh tasting.

The iced tea was also really fresh and kept coming (neither is a given, both are important to me) and we simply had a wonderful, though short, time. We might hit the Sunday Brunch tomorrow.

And no, I didn't happen to notice if the men's room door was facing the other way. I'll check next time.

[lathomure]

This review is of the Barracks Row location.

I went there on a Monday night with a friend (in all honesty we had actually set out to try the new Seventh Hill Pizza, but it's closed on Mondays!). Lucky for us, she remembered that Cava has 1/2 price bottles of wine on Mondays, so we opted to go there. We had a very nice meal and the wine was great! I love Greek white wine such as Roditis and they had a nice selection.

We had:

Saganaki - this was probably my favorite dish of the evening, partly because it was fantastic and partly because it's an old family favorite. I've had this dish in some pretty old-school, authentic Greek restaurants, and this saganaki was just as good!

Cremini Mushroom Risotto - just ok. It was my friend's decision to order this and probably wouldn't have been my choice. The risotto wasn't quite the consistency I've come to expect from risotto.

Spicy Lamb Sliders - delish!! When you come in and sit down, you are given some pita, olive oil and a red pepper dip. The red pepper dip, as others have written on this page, is great! And there is a healthy spread of this same dip (I'm pretty sure) on the sliders. The lamb is quite tasty and the buns stand up to the slider (i.e., they don't fall apart).

Opa Opa Shrimp - this was just alright. I guess I was expecting that the shrimp was going to be similar to the dill shrimp at Zaytinya since they both have dill as a main ingredient, but it wasn't nearly as good.

All in all I had a nice evening though, our server was very nice and I will definitely go back. I would order the saganaki and lamb sliders again, and would try some other things too.

[Banco]

We went with the kids to Cava on Barracks Row last night. It was our first time there and we really enjoyed it. The Kastoria beans were a delicious and richly flavored dish, the grilled scallops were done perfectly, and my New York strip served over some delicious sautéed potato slices was excellent and a perfect medium rare. The drinks here are also creative and carefully made. My wife's Mojito and my Old Fashioned and Calvados Sidecar were all excellent. The rice pudding desert, the Greek name of which I cannot recall, was also a hit. Service was efficient and unfailingly kind despite the fact that the place was slammed. They even comped us an extra order of grilled shrimp after my son accidentally dropped one of his on the floor.

Unfortunately the vibe here follows the current fashion for loud techno-pop, which to me always feels like the restaurant is trying to make you leave. Not as bad as Matchbox, but close. But we very much enjoyed discovering Cava and will be back. The bar also looks great and I look forward to exploring the drinks menu in greater detail.

[ALB]

Last night my family celebrated two birthdays at the Cava in Rockville. All in all- a fantastic dinner and we are thrilled to have an interesting option in the MD burbs.

We ordered:

Greek Salad- no lettuce, tomato wedges, cucumber rounds, onions, feta and a nice vinegrette. We felt we needed something lighter since we also ordered-

cheese pies- filo triangles with a very light cheese filling. almost like a mousse instead of a heavier filling we were expecting. really really good!

cava disco fries- as my sister put it- really upscale chili cheese fries. fries with a veal ragu and feta. good, but I'm not sure I'd order again over other options on the menu. the ragu softens up the fries- so they can't be crisp anymore. tasty ragu but I'd probably try new things.

mussel risotto- a mushroom risotto that had a nice texture and the mussels were cooked perfectly- I'm very picky about overcooked shellfish. These were really great.

spicy tuna sliders- they are not kidding- these are spicy- and I like spicy food. The brioche buns as noted above- are fantastic. I added some tzatziki from another plate and it cooled them down a lot. This is the spicy dip from the pita/olive oil/olive plate they bring out at the start, so make sure you can handle it before ordering!

Chicken oregano- a chicken kabab. tasty but definitely improved by the aforementioned tzatziki . I think there are more interesting things on the menu that I'd order before this again, but its a good option for pickier eaters.

domades- not my favorite thing (anywhere) but those that love them, Loved them.

dessert-

baklava, very very good and fresh tasting. one piece was enough for the four of us to each have a bite.

greek donuts dessert- fluffy donuts soaked in honey and cinnamon, whats not to like?

I really look forward to going back.

[schulju]

cava disco fries- as my sister put it- really upscale chili cheese fries. fries with a veal ragu and feta. good, but I'm not sure I'd order again over other options on the menu. the ragu softens up the fries- so they can't be crisp anymore. tasty ragu but I'd probably try new things.

That same ragu is served over pasta in the Greek Bolognese...same great ragu with a better partner.

[dsemmes]

Too noisy, too crowded the time we ate at Cava in Rockville.

[DonRocks]

Too noisy, too crowded the time we ate at Cava in Rockville.

[Although I happen to agree with you, posts here tend to be a bit more substantive than this.

I know, I know, you wanted to access the Dining Guide! I cannot blame you - after all, it was just updated in the past thirty minutes to reflect the permanent closing of Uncle Charlie's Backyard Barbecue, Manila Cafe, and the Ballston branch of Aladdin's Eatery.

Try and do better, Yelp.

P.S. Laurent Tourondel has left the BLT Restaurant Group ... click.]

[bookluvingbabe]

We went to the Rockville location after the second blizzard last month. It was really nice to get out of the house and not cook. BLPreschooler ate a good portion of my grilled octopus dish.

But it was too loud, too crowded and the food wasn't memorable.

I might go back for lunch because the lunch options out here stink but I don't think I'd go back for dinner.

[LauraB]

We went to the Rockville location after the second blizzard last month. It was really nice to get out of the house and not cook. BLPreschooler ate a good portion of my grilled octopus dish.

But it was too loud, too crowded and the food wasn't memorable.

I might go back for lunch because the lunch options out here stink but I don't think I'd go back for dinner.

I agree it does get very loud and crowded in the evenings. That's why we try to go very early and our experiences have been better. Granted, we don't have a toddler in tow, just 2 adults. We especially love the Lamb Kapama and the Spanakopita.

[hm212]

I agree it does get very loud and crowded in the evenings. That's why we try to go very early and our experiences have been better. Granted, we don't have a toddler in tow, just 2 adults. We especially love the Lamb Kapama and the Spanakopita.

I will chime in on the group think and agree about the noise level. The other issue is that they will not take reservations, and I am just not going to wait an hour for a table which is why I won't go there on a weekend.

[bookluvingbabe]

If it is unbearably loud at 5:10 pm, I'd hate to see what it is later in the evening.

Yes, we went back to the Rockville location. For dinner on a Saturday night. BLPreschooler wanted to go out and we didn't feel up to driving into the city. Next time, we will drive though. We were there when the doors opened and the decibel level was just awful almost immediately.

They lost points when they gave us the same broken high chair we had pointed out was broken four weeks earlier. The next high chair was also broken. 3rd time was a charm but I saw them using the broken one with other customers when we left.

The mussels were a deep disappointment. Lots of cracked shells and overcooked. Nothing else was a standout.

Just noise and a headache the size of Texas by the time we left.

We won't be back.

[leleboo]

I've had my nose in the books these days (oh, would that I were a student and meant actual books instead of "horrendously behemoth year-overdue cardiology guideline") and I needed something fast tonight that still appealed to the taste buds, so that I could get back to work and be happy. On Tuesday* I noticed that Cava on Barracks Row has a happy hour with several of the most popular mezze -- almost all the dips, the lamb sliders, the souvlaki, the mini pitas, and a meatless variation on the disco fries that is basically a Greek cheese-fry -- for $3 or $4. So, since I missed lunch anyway, I went up a bit after 5 to grab a meal (with a couple taggers-on to share).

Eggplant dip -- not as smoky or garlicky as baba ghanouj, actually light and refreshing ($3)

Skordalia -- intensely garlicky with big chopped walnuts; awesome ($3)

Lamb sliders -- same as on the main menu, the jalapeno spice builds pleasantly, the lamb meatballs are juicy and perfectly cooked, and the tomato and frisee (the latter hard to manage) add another level of fresh flavor ($3 for each -- which means you can get 3 for $9, while the menu portion is 2 for $10.95). Honestly, these things shouldn't be nearly this good; I need them to suck so I am not tempted to eat them with frequency.

Sparaggia -- off the main menu, these are huge asparagus (hothouse? how does anyone have asparagus this big?) that stand up to the grill and get great smoky flavor, topped with lemon vinaigrette and cheese; I brought 3/4 of it home for lunch ($7.95)

Fries -- these turn into a *massive* basket of oregano cheese fries. The crispy ones are more than worth it. I'm not a cheese-fry girl -- I like my fries pure potato, tyvm -- and I would even ask for them without the cheese, as good as it was, because this is perfect bar food ($3).

House white and house red perfectly drinkable at $4/glass for a sizable pour. The white lacked the minerality I often enjoy in Greek wines, and the red was a little too round and heavy ... but I'm also only guessing these were from the Greek part of the wine list.

The bar became suddenly packed right at about 5:45. We had just put in our food orders, and good thing, because it turned into a madhouse ... although nothing remotely akin to the absurd scene I ran into at Lyon Hall on a previous Friday night.

They still have the bar stools that make you feel like you're a five-year-old, FWIW.

*In a rare turn of events, I was here twice in one week after being here twice in the entire previous year, one of those times barely involving food. It's like when you learn a new word as a kid and then suddenly hear/see it everywhere. Bizarre.

[cheezepowder]

Third location coming to Clarendon (click).

[dcandohio]

And as for aiming medium to low...we went to Cava on Barracks Row Saturday before the Nats game ended. It was very crowded, though not cheek-to-jowl slammed, and a restaurant like Cava should be prepared to deal with that kind of traffic on a Saturday night. The noise level was deafening. We sat at the bar.

Our service was terrible. The guys behind the bar were hustling but plates were not being cleared, people were not getting drinks and we received our food (flaming cheese!) without bread or utensils. While it's hard to dislike flaming cheese, I very much dislike having to watch it cool while I try to flag someone down for bread and a napkin.

The disco fries were disgusting to me. SO really wanted these, but they were greasy and gloppy and painfully salty. So gross. The lamb sliders were fine, but also very salty. Hey, I love feta and olives, and I know those are salty treats, but does everything else have to be obliterated by oversalting?

While we watched service deteriorate all around us, one of the managers (hosts?) spent about 15 minutes engaged in chit chat/flirting with two young ladies seated next to us. It's fine for an employee to show the love to customers, but this guy was totally oblivious to the dirty dishes on the bar, the parade of empty glasses and the patrons trying to get attention to order. This inattention to operations is indicative of employees who care more about their personal social lives than customer sevice.

We strolled past many of the places on 8th street that night. Some were equally slammed and some were empty. As we walked we tried to guess why Cava was so crowded. Certainly, the food can't be the draw. It was a very young and pretty crowd, and there were a couple of large groups having celebrations (also young and pretty people). This area seems to be evolving from a funky and unique neighborhood to a bland (if salty) string of see and be seen joints. I hope not, but my brief attempt at Chesapeake room and last week's trip to Cava certainly seems to confirm that this is true.

[schulju]

Just realized I hadn't posted on Cava (Rockville) since 2008, and that's not fair given how consistently high the quality has been over the last year even with the opening of another outpost by this talented team. Always love to introduce folks to Cava as long as they're into sharing, because Cava is at its most enjoyable when you're with folks who want a taste of everything on the table. Today we had a really fresh tasting eggplant dip which was a nice change since I usually get the great hummus. The tyropita are to die for and so worth any length drive on their merit alone. The mac n cheese was a little heavy but the crab cakes were light in texture and rich in flavor. I had not ordered the zucchinni fritters before, they were crisp and light, but It didn't think they had much flavor. We also ordered the meatballs, which my companions really seemed to love.

A super lunch, now all I need is a nap!

The website indicates a new outpost in Clarendon is on it's way. My Arlington-living companion was thrilled.

[theakston]

The website indicates a new outpost in Clarendon is on it's way. My Arlington-living companion was thrilled.

Is this still on? I thought the planned location was taken by "Circa". Anyone have any news about this?

[bschulman]

Is this still on? I thought the planned location was taken by "Circa". Anyone have any news about this?

The site is next to Restaurant 3 as you are walking towards LPQ. It is currently under construction and expected to open by early May.

[dcandohio]

Thought I should update my views from Sunday's visit after fairly negative earlier review. We arrived before the brunch crowds, were seated outside in the sun, and had a delightful experience, in contrast to my previous experience on Barracks Row. The service was friendly and prompt, but not rushed. The four plates we shared (feta whipped with jalapeno, asparagus, bolognese and spicy sausages) were good to great. The bolognese, especially, hit the spot. Nice to know that our first experience is not the norm at Cava.

[ktmoomau]

The site is next to Restaurant 3 as you are walking towards LPQ. It is currently under construction and expected to open by early May.

Woohooo!! Good luck with everything these last couple months. This will be a really welcomed addition to the neighborhood.

[bschulman]

Woohooo!! Good luck with everything these last couple months. This will be a really welcomed addition to the neighborhood.

Thanks! Looking forward to being a part of the neighborhood.

[schulju]

Stupid me! All these trips to Cava and I've never before ordered the chicken souvlaki . I mean, who goes to a resturant (other than Palena or Ad Hoc) and orders chicken? This is some seriously tender, juicy, flavorful chicken! It will now join the hummus and tyropita on my "must order" list, which is leaving me less and less room for stuff I haven't tried before.

[weezy]

Joined some friends at the Cava in Clarendon last night. Between the three of us, we got the oyster skordalia, saganaki, lamb sliders, kefetede, sauteed squash, and finished with a strawberry nutella crepe. I tried the basil limeade and was quite pleased with it. The food was very good, everything prepared properly, although since we ordered everything but the desert at the same time, we were somewhat bombarded with food, as most of the plates hit the table simultaneously. The squash was basic stuff, and I would have liked a bit more skordalia with the very nice oysters. The bun on the lamb sliders was a bit dry/thick in balance to the rest of the dish. Overall, I think the kefetede was the best of the lot with the oyster skordalia a close second. The food was easily worth returning for; however, the noise leverl was atrocious. One of my dining companions was on a rant and litterally shouting f-bombs that (I guess thankfully) couldn't be heard 4 feet away. All three of us had buzzing ears and were becoming hoarse by the time we left. There's buzz, there's noise, and then there's a cacophonic din. Dinning & dining = it's doubtful I'll make a return visit unless I can do carry-out, but I doubt many of these dishes travel well..

[porcupine]

it's doubtful I'll make a return visit unless I can do carry-out, but I doubt many of these dishes travel well..

A surprising number of them do. Not the fried things, of course. We had carryout about twice a month from the Rockville location when we lived ten minutes away.

[New Foodie]

Six of us went to Cava on Barracks Row last night and we had a really good time. Our server, Dave, read our table well and was very fun and personable. He certainly added to our enjoyment of the evening.

We ordered a bunch of things for the table to share, and really liked all of it. However, everything came out so fast! In the future we decided we would order in at least two rounds so we could regulate the pace a bit better. One thing to note (which Dave pointed out) is that the mezze are pretty good size and 2 per person (before dessert) was a good amount to order.

We had:

• Dip Tasting ($9.95 Hummus / tzatziki / roasted eggplant / taramosalata / crazy feta / ktipiti) - Nothing too out of the ordinary here, but all the dips were very good. We particularly liked the crazy feta and tzatziki. The pita served with this (and gratis at the table) was warm and soft and a perfect transport for the dips. One order of the dip tasking was also plenty for us to share since we had so much more food coming.
  
• Saganaki ($9.95 Kefalograviera / lemon / brandy) - The flaming, tableside presentation was definitely fun on this one. We ordered two for the table and they were gone before they even got cold. Delicious.
  
• Spanakopita ($6.95 Spinach / Dodonis feta / leeks / phyllo) - I've had spanakopita many times, but this was probably one of my favorite versions. Not too greasy with good spinach and feta flavor. The order included 3 small-medium triangles of filled pastry.
  
• Zucchini Fritters ($6.95 Dodonis feta / herbs / tzatziki) - Four little balls of fritter were served on tzatziki. They were good, but we liked many of our other dishes better. Nothing out of the ordinary here.
  
• Mini Gyros Pita ($10.95 Fries / tzatziki / tomatoes / onions) - This may have been my favorite plate of the evening. It's a generous serving of 3 mini pitas stuffed with gyro meat, and the addition of french fries is an excellent one!
  
• Spicy Lamb Sliders ($10.95 Frisse / harissa / tzatziki / tomatoes / onions) - Each order comes with two sliders, so we got two orders for the table. I'm not a huge lamb fan, but these were good. Everyone else at the table loved them. They weren't as spicy as I would like and had a little too much bun to burger in my opinion, but still tasty.
  
• Pork Belly ($9.95 Crispy pork / sour cherry / annabella reduction) - I have rarely had pork belly that I didn't like, and this one was delicious. It was plenty for all six of us to have a bite, but I wouldn't have minded a whole order to myself!
  
• Grilled Meatballs ($7.95 Seasoned beef / dill / lemon / garlic / oregano) - Great grill flavor on these and very well-seasoned. Almost like a mini hamburger without the bun.
  
• Sauteèd Calamari ($9.95 San Marzano tomatoes / capers / Gavala / orzo) - This was served more like a pasta dish with the orzo and calamari mixed together in a tomato sauce (I thought it would be presented with the calamari on top of the orzo), but the flavor was good and the calamari well-cooked.
  

For dessert we split the loukoumades, nutella and strawberry crepe, and french toast. The loukoumades (sort of like a donut) were my favorite, closely followed by the french toast. The crepe was ok, but the other two were much better.

With all the food, plus a couple bottles of wine and some beer, the total with tax and tip was less than $50 per person. We were pleasantly surprised!

[jayandstacey]

We ordered a bunch of things for the table to share, and really liked all of it. However, everything came out so fast! In the future we decided we would order in at least two rounds so we could regulate the pace a bit better.

That's the oddest thing about tapas generally, getting used to how to order. We learned to order less than even one plate per person per round (so maybe 2 or 3 plates for 4 people per round), but then order again rapidly - and they fulfill rapidly. We tend to order protein dishes first, then back into the veggies and starches and such. Desserts are rare, but we might order honey ("lollipop") chicken to add some sweet to all the savory.

Part of the fun is the negotiations for the next round. especially by ordering less dishes than there are people,

- sharing is forced

- negotiations are key - like, "I get a guaranteed choice next time, since my vote isn't being ordered this time."

The whole thing can be really fun and a great way to try foods outside your own comfort zone. But we all already know that

[Mainah]

Glad to know that managment at Cava reads these posts. I first went to Cava Rockville several years ago and recall each dish had a high 'yum' factor. Was in town again last week and was dissappointed. On the Cava Mixed Grill plate the chicken was quite dry although the other meats were well done and tasty. Zucchini and eggplant dish was very bland as was the beet and feta dish. Grilled octopus was good. I know that it is not unusual for restaurants to have off nights and hope that this was what occured.

[New Foodie]

The +1 and I went back to Cava on Barrack's Row last night and enjoyed our meal yet again. One thing I did miss from going with a group of 6 before is getting to try a number of things on the menu. The mezze are really decent-sized, so around 2 per person is plenty. Good for keeping costs down, but not for trying lots of food!

Once again we enjoyed the warm, fresh pita brought out to the table with olive oil, olives, and a harissa dip. We also started with the Crazy Feta ($6.95 Aged barrel feta / jalapeno / whipped) and Saganaki ($9.95 Kefalograviera / lemon / brandy). The feta wasn't quite as crazy or notable as we remembered from our previous trip. It was a generous serving, but we couldn't taste the jalapeno at all (despite seeing chunks of it throughout). It was good, but I think we'd pass on the next visit. The Saganaki, however, was outstanding. Dinner and a show! We must've seen 10+ different orders go to other tables while we were there, and it was always fun to watch. This is also a generous serving of two large hunks of cheese that are deliciously gooey on the inside and crisp and crunchy on the outside. I would fear having my cholesterol tested today after last night's dinner, but it was worth it.

Next we ordered Mini Gyros ($10.95 Fries / tzatziki / tomatoes / pickled onions), Fried Calamari ($7.95 Tzatziki / peperoncini), and Cauliflower ($8.95 Pan roasted / EVOO / Greek yogurt). It was probably one too many dishes, but we wanted to try a few more things. The Mini Gyros were one of our favorite things from our previous visit, and we liked them a lot this time too. The addition of the French fries is a fun surprise. The calamari themselves were nicely crispy without being greasy, and tasted great. Neither of us loved tzatziki as the dipping sauce though. I love tzatziki, and I love calamari, but I think with crispy squid I prefer more of a chili sauce, or even marinara, or an aioli of some sort. Similarly, with the cauliflower, the vegetable itself was nice and caramelized on the outside with a beautiful roasted flavor, but the Greek yogurt on which it was served was a bit boring and didn't add to the dish at all.

I think our takeaway was that we were glad we tried everything we did, and we would definitely order the Saganaki next time, likely try the Mini Gyros again, but branch out and pick a few more items to sample instead of the Crazy Feta, Calamari, and Cauliflower...especially since the menu is fairly extensive!

We did learn our lesson last time and spaced out our ordering on this trip, getting the two cheeses first, then waiting to order the next round until after we were digging into the first one. Even with this spacing, we were still in and out of Cava in around 45 minutes. This isn't a complaint since it was a Sunday night and we didn't want to linger necessarily, but it is something to be aware of when you're ordering. The food comes out fast!

[hmmboy]

Am I the only person on the board who finds Cava's Harissa, sold at Whole Foods, utterly addictive? Its delish!

[porcupine]

Am I the only person on the board who finds Cava's Harissa, sold at Whole Foods, utterly addictive?

Nope.

[sklarithy]

Anyone been recently? Always been a fan of the chicken gyros. Haven't been in ages and would love some suggestions.

[ad.mich]

Am I the only person on the board who finds Cava's Harissa, sold at Whole Foods, utterly addictive? Its delish!

Sometimes I make up excuses just to go to WF and pick up a tub. Mixed with some yogurt it makes a killer marinade too.

[darkstar965]

Am I the only person on the board who finds Cava's Harissa, sold at Whole Foods, utterly addictive? Its delish!

Nope. Me too. Though I've never gotten it at WF. I always get a side container and blend it in with whatever I order at the grill locations. Great stuff.

[Pat]

^ On that point, me too. Their harissa goes into a variety of my meals. It's great mixed into ground turkey. I also crave their roasted garlic hummus sold at WF.

On a recent night at the Barracks Row location, I kept it light so I'd be able to eat my spicy lamb sliders. (I love them but can never finish them.) I ordered some hummus to go with pita and their olive condiment plate. Exactly what it should be. Besides the sliders, the only other thing I ordered was the falafel fritters (3), which are almost like a soft mini-crab cake, minus the crab, plus a few other things . I hadn't dined at Cava in well over a year and don't recall the fritters being on the menu. It's either a newish item or I've overlooked them in the past. I loved them, though. I would totally order these again. Soft serve falafel!

And, I still didn't finish the sliders . Fortunately, they do reheat well at home. Take the top bun off and lay everything on a cookie sheet in a moderate oven for (15?) minutes, and reassemble. It didn't even overcook the nicely medium rare lamb.

I'm not sure why I don't go here more, except that it was too dark for me to read and deafeningly loud. That might be why...but I love the food.

[cheezepowder]

I'm not sure why I don't go here more, except that it was too dark for me to read and deafeningly loud. That might be why...but I love the food.

Yes, same with me. The Clarendon location is really dark at night too.

[LauraB]

Yes, same with me. The Clarendon location is really dark at night too.

Same with the Rockville location. And, after 6:00 pm, deafening. The food is really good, though. So, we try to go before 6:00.