Greek

Zaytinya

Summer has been glorious: relaxing and rejuvenating. I spent my Fourth of July weekend amidst the crowds of people celebrating in the nation’s capital. Fireworks haloed the Washington Monument- it was truly a memory for the long run. Over the past few years, Washington DC has become a common destination for last minute trips and vacations in my family. Therefore, it’s essential that I have a list of accommodating restaurants at the back of my hand.

We normally reside in a hotel with close proximity to the mall. This allows us the freedom to walk to the main attractions and center city. Zaytinya is conveniently located on 9th and G Streets, just a few minutes walk away from the mall. The Turkish-Greek cuisine is exquisite- I would go as far as calling it my favorite restaurant in Washington DC. The ambiance is wonderful both inside and outside. If you’re seated inside, do take note of the fascinating shaped olive oil jars. And if you’re outside, while enjoying the fresh air, notice that the umbrellas are upside-down. It may be my lack of exposure or taste for a more modern and sleek setting that I find these nuances so amusing. However, the restaurant, food, and service are simply wonderful.

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I could rave about this restaurant and its originality for days, but let’s get to the exciting part- food. Zaytinya recently started offering a gluten-free menu much to my delight. They serve mezzes which are sort of the Greek or Mediterranean equivalent of tapas, based on my understanding. However, in addition to the gluten-free mezzes listed on the menu, I have typically been able to request other dished to be prepared gluten-free. Over the culmination of all my ventures to Zaytinya, I have found the grape-leave dolmades, seasonal mushrooms, and shish tauok are my favorites. However, dessert is a whole separate matter. The dessert selection at Zaytinya is heavenly. If you don’t have time to enjoy a full meal at this restaurant, it is absolutely worth your time to stop in for a sweet treat. The greek yogurt and apricots and most of the homemade ice creams and sorbets are gluten-free. Additionally, the turkish delight can be modified to those following a gluten-free diet, and the cheeses, of course, are gluten-free! I am a yogurt phanatic. Whether its greek or vanilla, key lime or served with honey, yogurt has always been a favorite snack of mine. But this greek yogurt was the “mother of all Chobanis and Fages” as my dad put it. I honestly couldn’t have said it any better myself. As for the ice creams: if you have a sweet tooth for exotic flavors this one is for you. The flavors consist of vanilla with phyllo dough, rose, olive oil, and walnut. The walnut is the ice cream used in the turkish delight, and I would definitely vouch for it. The olive oil ice cream is just something to taste for the sake of curiosity and adventure. Last but not least, cheese. I have always had the urge to order cheese as a dessert in a restaurant, but my parents typically discouraged it. However, this time they surprised me. They suggested I try a new type of cheese, so I did just that (how obedient, right?). The Tulum Peynir was a rather rich cheese with a bold flavor, but I was in heaven. It was served with honeycomb, which was a new texture for me. Anyhow, the combination of the Turkish cheese and honeycomb was delicious.

So if you’re in DC and looking for some good food, even if it is a trek, I would highly recommend Zaytinya.

Cheers,

Anika

Moussaka

Meat Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground turkey breast
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cherry tomatoes, cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions until brown in a medium- large pan. Add garlic, meat, tomatoes, and all spices. Cook until the meat is dark brown. Takes approximately 15-20 minutes.

Vegetable Ingredients:

  • 1 medium sized eggplant, cut into thin slices
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Cover baking pan with aluminum foil. Place sliced eggplants and zucchinis on the foil. Spray olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until browned.

Bechamel Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1 stick of unsalted butter (8 tbsp)
  • 1/2 cup GF multi-purpose flour (we used King Arthur Flour)
  • 2 cups of milk, warmed
  • 4 egg yolks, whisked
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Melt butter over low heat. Add the flour while consistently stirring the mixture. Stir until light brown. Add warmed milk steadily while stirring. Turn off the heat and add the beaten egg yolks and nutmeg to the mixture. Turn heat back on and continue stirring until yolks are blended and mixture is thick.

Other Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup mozzerella cheese, grated
  • 1/4 cup GF breadcrumbs (I used Schar)
  • Oil Spray

Putting together the Moussaka:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large baking dish (about the size used for lasagna), spray the oil spray and sprinkle breadcrumbs across the bottom. Place one layer of eggplant and zucchini. Top it with the meat. Sprinkle grated cheese layer over the meat. Then, place a second layer of eggplant and zucchini, followed by the bechamel sauce. Spread sauce evenly, to the ends, and down the sides of the baking dish. Cover top with the remaining grated cheese. Put moussaka to bake for 45 minutes or until top is golden brown. Allow time for dish to cool before serving. Enjoy!

Molyvos

After a long day of roaming in and out shops in Times Square, we all agreeded to dining at Greek joint called Molyvos. This typically busy restaurant was having a slow evening because of the fireworks for the Fourth of July! Our intentions were to grab a bite and head back to Time Square and towards the pier to see the renowed fireworks. Unfortunately we didn’t make it because we were enjoying such a great meal!

There was no gluten-free menu, but the waiter was well informed and double-checked everything with a superior. I started out by having a cured salmon tapas (bite-sized) followed by grilled apricots with haloumi cheese, which was shared by the family. The apricots were rather exotic, well at least that’s what I thought until I ordered my entrée. I decided to be adventurous and ordered an appetizer portion of grilled octopus! I do wish it was minced or at least cut up a little, but it wasn’t. I will spare you the details. However, the sucker was surprisingly delicious! And last but not least: dessert. I had an ice cream taster that consisted of two scoops of almond praline and one of honey vanilla. I would go back just for that almond praline ice cream!

I would strongly encourage you to dine at Molyvos if you are in NYC and particularly in Times Square. The restaurant is located in Midtown West so it’s not much of a hike from the bustling touristy areas. Please check it out!

Cheers!

Anika