Saturday, my friends and I went to Zaytinya on 9th Street in NW DC, for DC Restaurant Week. What better time to try a new restaurant than when you can get a four-course meal for $20?

Here, Ryan peeped that I was taking a picture of half the table.

Everybody was served this delightful soft bread–we still don’t know how they kept the bread inflated with steam!

One of my first dishes was crispy eggplant in a garlic-yogurt sauce…yummy!

And then shimp in a mustard butter lemon sauce, MAN this was good, I could have kept eating it and eating it…

Mike ordered a Turkish coffee, which arrived impossibly small for the amount of coffee that Mike, and most normal Americans, are used to. However, if the coffee is so strong that you can almost chew the grounds as you drink it–it’s no wonder they give you such a tiny cup of it. These were the grounds in the bottom of Mike’s cup!

I believe this was Falafel, or chickpea fritters in tahini sauce.

That’s what chickpeas look like?

I ordered Shish Taouk, or grilled chicken, sumac, onions and grilled tomatoes and a garlic tahini (the white sauce on the left that looks like grits). The chicken was good! Not as good as the shrimp, but good.

For dessert, some people ordered the Greek Apricots and Yogurt, on the Washingtonian’s list of best desserts. I think Zaytinya may have paid for placement on that list with this dessert.

However, the other dessert choice, Turkish Delight, was indeed delightful! Walnut ice cream with crushed walnut pieces on top, farm goats’ milk, yogurt mousse and a honey gelee. Yum!

The plates were small, but are affordably priced, especially if you’re going to get two or three plates. I’d go back! Now where shall we go next? Stay tuned,

Insana