Jump to content

Zaytinya, Mediterranean Tapas at 9th & G Streets - Chef Michael Costa Replaces Mike Isabella


Recommended Posts

Had dinner here the other night prior to the Capital's Game so it was early.  We had a 5:30 reservation and were 20 minutes late, due to overwhelming traffic.  We had called at 5:20 and indicated we would be 15-20 minutes late and they were fine with that, which is very cool.  We got there at 5:30 and were seated promptly. 

Place was busy from the time we got there and when we left at 7:30.  Since it was Restaurant Week, we opted for that menu as it was very intriguing.  All four of us were happy we did - the 4 courses + dessert were very filling and all excellent, from Hommus to meatballs, shrimp and grilled chicken, all was excellent.  Food and service were prompt, and that bread they serve is highly addicting.  The woman who was constantly floating around with the bread refills was spot-on and we never waited or were without it.  

The RW menu was pretty great and we will be back non-RW.  Incidentally - the valet parking here is great for Dinner and post-Caps game - we came out and the car was 15' from the front entrance to the restaurant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had lunch/brunch here on Sunday with a friend who is leaving town soon. So we were being indulgent. He was drinking the Aslin lager, while we both had glasses of sparkling wine.

They are using QR menus - and you can only bring up one at a time from the QR code. Finally I loaded the restaurant web site and was able to load the different menus in different tabs. Boy, was that annoying.

Service was good. Server was clearly inexperienced, but also friendly, helpful, and responsive.

As to the food, which was all very good (Guess I can't speak to the one I didn't eat, but the guys both loved it.):

(I wish they still had the carrot fritters!) (Also, I do not love lamb. Our friend does. I was shocked at how much I enjoyed the Hunkar Begendi.)

Brunch fries - which are regular Zaytinya fries with an egg yolk added to the dipping yogurt.

Dolmades - grape leaves with rice, tomato, fennel, pine nuts, sultanas, served with labneh

Cauliflower Tiganites- tahini, preserved lemon, pine nuts, capers, golden spice vinaigrette

Imam Bayildi - eggplant, onions and tomato slowly cooked in olive oil with aromatic spices and garnished with pine nuts

Hunkar Begendi - traditional Turkish braised lamb shank, eggplant kefalograviera cheese purée

Lamb Baharat - spiced rubbed lamb leg kebab, tabbouleh, charred tomatoes, tahini sauce (I didn't eat this. Don't love lamb, DON'T LIKE AT ALL tabbouleh. Or tomatoes.)

Beef Soutzoukakia - cumin spiced meatballs in tomato sauce scented with cinnamon, feta, caper

Dessert - we split 2 desserts 3 ways. I may have eaten a bit more than my share:

Turkish Coffee Chocolate Cake - molten center Valrhona chocolate cake, roasted pistachio, mastic ice cream, chocolate pearls (I cannot resist mastica flavored desserts)

Chocolate Rose - rose ice cream, chocolate custard, spiced berry purée

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, saf said:

Brunch fries - which are regular Zaytinya fries with an egg yolk added to the dipping yogurt.

Turkish Coffee Chocolate Cake - molten center Valrhona chocolate cake, roasted pistachio, mastic ice cream, chocolate pearls (I cannot resist mastica flavored desserts)

I wish I knew how to make that yogurt dipping sauce - it's so wonderful and I'm guessing that once you know the recipe, it's simple to make.

My family loved the chocolate cake last time we were there, but found the accompanying ice cream to be downright vile, although the description looks like it's changed.  Maybe we weren't the only ones?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, zgast said:

I wish I knew how to make that yogurt dipping sauce - it's so wonderful and I'm guessing that once you know the recipe, it's simple to make.

My family loved the chocolate cake last time we were there, but found the accompanying ice cream to be downright vile, although the description looks like it's changed.  Maybe we weren't the only ones?

Yeah, I don't think it would be too hard to duplicate. I would have to eat it again to try and identify what might be in it. A reason to return!

What did the ice cream taste like? Mastic ice cream tastes rather piney. We first tried it in Athens, and the Greeks kept telling us it was an acquired taste. I seem to remember that at one point they had cardamom ice cream with the chocolate cake?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, saf said:

What did the ice cream taste like? Mastic ice cream tastes rather piney. We first tried it in Athens, and the Greeks kept telling us it was an acquired taste. I seem to remember that at one point they had cardamom ice cream with the chocolate cake?

I think it was the cardamom - but that wasn't the predominant flavor. I think it had rose water in it as well - which works in very small amounts but really doesn't when you go a bit overboard.  Perhaps it was the combination (very odd) of those two?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, zgast said:

I think it was the cardamom - but that wasn't the predominant flavor. I think it had rose water in it as well - which works in very small amounts but really doesn't when you go a bit overboard.  Perhaps it was the combination (very odd) of those two?

That would be odd. I know it was something else before, but nobody here can remember what it was.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We had a group of 8 last week for a great dinner at Zaytinya. The place was packed on a Wednesday night and loud as usual, but they put us at a great circle table in the back of the ground floor with a large lazy susan that made it great for sharing. We ordered a lot of mezze to share and I can't recall them all.

My favorites were:

Htipiti - red pepper and feta chunky dip that has always been good

falafel

crispy brussel sprouts with yogurt sauce

Hummus with ground lamb

Seared halloumi cheese with roast chunks of dates

Smoked mushrooms

Cauliflower

Grape Leaves

Crispy Eggplant

Salmon

Kofte beef kebab

Hunkar begendi - lamb over pureed eggplant. It was good but I remember it better in the past. I like this dish so still would get it again.

Mezze I would skip next time (not that they were bad, but just not anywhere as good as ones above):

Taramosalata

Smoked Beet Salad

Tabbouleh

Imam Bayildi - this one I liked a good deal but the crispy eggplant was much better. Very different dishes though.

Branzino - nicely cooked but bland

Chicken youvetsi

Beef meatballs

*****

Also, I didn't try to scallops but they were a big hit with the others.

 

 

 

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went here for lunch yesterday with friends visiting from out-of-town. We had a a really good meal, including the kebob platter, a falafel sandwich lunch special, and fries. Lots of the wonderful bread and the toum and other condiments. Totally hitting on all cylinders.

It was very loud when we first arrived but people started heading  back to the office and hearing and speaking got easier.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had dinner at the bar here Sunday after the failed attempt to eat at Kinship. It was good. Hummus, zucchini fritters, bone marrow kibbe,  smoked beet salad. Chocolate rose and Turkish coffee chocolate cake for dessert. Tasty cocktails, and nice glasses of wine. Bar service always good here. Menu seemed a little shorter? And I STILL miss the carrot fritters!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, saf said:

Menu seemed a little shorter? And I STILL miss the carrot fritters!

Back in the Spring of 2021 they had the grand opening of the Penn Quarter farmers market and the full staff of Zaytinya was out there doing a photo shoot/promotional event.  Somehow I got a chance to talk to the Chef Costa and asked him about the shorter menu (aka begged him to bring back the larger menu and some of my favorite dishes!).  He said there's nothing he'd rather do than bring back the full menu but the staffing shortages prevented it.  I'm surprised and saddened that nearly two years later, it seems they are still having staffing issues.  (Or maybe it's just easier/more economical to keep the shorter menu?)

ETA:  I just checked the online menu and it looks quite a bit larger than it was the last time I visited in the Spring of 2021, so that's a good sign!

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...