A Guide For Every Day Inexpensive Dining In Washington, DC

In today’s fast paced society, many meals end up being eaten out rather than getting a traditional home cooked meal.  The problem with that is that we all miss comfort food in the way that our families used to make it. Constantly eating meals out can get rather expensive. The purpose of this blog is to highlight some of the DC areas best inexpensive places to eat, while still getting a taste of home.  This does not imply that it will necessarily be American comfort food, but rather that it comes from an independently owned restaurant, that incorporates a traditional (no matter from where) type of cuisine. If you are looking for a comfortable place to eat, with the total bill coming to, around or less than $20, then you have come to the right place.  Places such as Chipotle, Au Bon Pain and Pret a Manger have perfected the grab-and-go style eatery, falling somewhere between a fast food giant (e.g. McDonalds, Wendy’s, Burger King) and a traditional sit down restaurant. The perceived value of these types of places is overshadowed by the comfortable style that many of them have incorporated into their design, or the “Starbucks” model.  A chain that is made to feel like a neighborhood shop, has replaced the actual neighborhood coffee shop or eatery.  The phrases “go local” and “buy local” are not often heard in a metropolis like DC but that is the point here. These terms are often confused with and muddled together with terms like organic and free-range.  The purpose of this blog is not to provide readers with information on where to go to eat organically raised products, but to provide them with information on where to go to support local businesses that are family owned (or at least independently owned), convenient, and reasonably priced. 

If DC is at the Heart of the Country, then Langston Bar and Grille is the Soul of the City

This untraditional soul food kitchen puts out wonderful dishes with a modern feel but traditional taste.  Everything on the menu is under twenty dollars and tasty as could be. The menu has everything from grits to oxtail, salmon cakes, pulled pork, collared greens and meatloaf.  Every item on the menu seems to be prepared with all the care and attention that you'd find in any fine dining restaurant, but the food is unpretentious and tastes great.

Everything is fresh and the atmosphere is comfortable and fun.  There’s two floors and an out door patio.  The place is a bit out of the way but it’s the only real option in the neighborhood on Benning Rd.  NE.  The chef here knows how to cook fish perfectly and the pork chop is a hefty meal.  I know I for one will be coming back. As a northerner, this Southern/Soul Food makes me realize what southern hospitality is all about.  http://www.langstonbar.com/ Click here for the website.

Sâuçá’s All Over Town!

The Sâuçá Grill Food Truck

Farhad. Food Truck King of DC

This is the fourth Sauça truck and it’s one of the main reasons why the Sauca name has developed such a positive reputation in DC.  This truck is known as the Sauca Grill for its grilled kabob.

Farhad, the owner, seems to make appearances all over the city with the trucks. He uses his grandmother’s recipe for this tasty beef and lamb kabob, served with a cucumber yogurt sauce.  It’s a middle-eastern classic served conveniently on the sidewalks of DC.  The kabob is served over basmati rice, grilled flatbread or a lettuce tomato salad with lime balsamic for only 8 dollars.  The food is tasty and the price is right.

  The location of the truck as well as all of the other Sauca trucks can be found on www.eatsauca.com  

Here is a short video that features Sauca as well as two other trucks.  It does a good job of showing what Sauca is all about.  

TAYLOR GOURMET LIVES UP TO ITS NAME

 The interior of Taylor Gourmet (on H St., Atlas District location) is exposed brick and exposed wood paneling adding a character and charm as soon as you walk through the door.  The front door stands next to what once was a garage door that opens on warm sunny days. 

Order Here

A look out onto the outdoor seating

The atmosphere is comfortable and the music is generally of the kind you’d here in a hip DC nightspot like Churchkey above Birch and Barley.  As a matter of fact the crowd you usually see eating at Taylor Gourmet is generally the young and the hip. 

The Young and The Hip

 Taylor Gourmet has two locations in DC.  Both of them maintain the high level of quality that the name demands.  Having Gourmet in the title requires that this locally owned deli maintain a reputation for quality, which it certainly does. The customer service alone here is outstanding.  The employees are very empowered to correct any minor mistakes that may happen.  They go the extra mile to make sure you get what you want and that you leave happy. 

Ty Thompson, Atlas District General Manager

 Beyond that the food really lives up to the name.  The bread is a central ingredient to these delicious hoagie sandwiches. It’s a sesame seed Italian bread, very artisanal and not something you generally find in a DC deli.  Much of the menu is based on Italian–American cuisine.  The sandwiches include roasted red peppers, broccoli rabe, sun dried tomatoes, arugula, mozzarella, gorgonzola, goat cheese, provolone, capicola, genoa salami, soppresata, etc.  All the ingredients are very fresh, but one of the main draws is the breaded chicken cutlet sandwiches, of which there are several different kinds.  All of the ingredients can be found in some combination with the fresh home made cutlets and all of the sandwiches are made with olive oil, red wine vinegar and Italian seasoning. 

The South Street - Chicken Cutlet

The best part about all of this is that it is not overpriced.  For one person to eat and be full you don’t have to expect to spend more than 8 dollars, but be prepared to spend a little bit more, as all of the sides and salads are delicious as well.  There are of course, vegetarian options also.  Taylor Gourmet is an absolute must for DC Eats Cheap.  The owners originally hail from Philadelphia and the inspiration and names for the menu came from their roots there. There is one location in City Vista (485 K St. 202-289-8004), and one in the Atlas District (1116 H St. 202-684-7004), a third planned for Bethesda Row in Maryland, with rumors of more (perhaps Foggy Bottom). Check out the website at http://www.taylorgourmet.com