Best Non-Bread, Pre-Meal Freebies in Washington D.C.
Still-warm, chewy bread is hard to beat in anticipation of a sit-down feast, but some places get points for thinking outside the bread box. "Fake," cheesy Mexican chains are great for bottomless chips and salsa, but let's go one step beyond that. In honor of next week's Tax Day, and our itch to get a few bones back from the Fed, here's a guide to the most unique pre-meal freebies at Washington D.C. eateries. When brainstorming, I asked my friend Sara Levine at Washingtonian—not related to Ed, as far as we can tell—who responded in a heartbeat with ideas. It's a good topic to be all over.
About the author: Erin Zimmer, our Washington, D.C., correspondent, is a new media analyst and frequently writes for Washingtonian, DCist, and other local publications. While Georgetown's food columnist, she investigated the cafeteria's omelet station, Hoya coffeeshop's cultish pumpkin muffins, and what exactly the basketball players ate.
Costa Verde
Address: 946 N Jackson Street, Arlington, VA 22201
Phone: 703-522-6976
Freebie: Corn nuts, but not the packaged kind covered in partially-hydrogenated soybean oil. These are still warm and served with a bowl of tangy, pulpy salsa verde.
Hank’s Oyster Bar
Address: 1624 Q Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 202-462-4265
Website: hanksrestaurants.com
Freebie: Our cheesy, smiley friends. Goldfish crackers. A nice homage to the sandbox era, and the right aquatic mood enhancer before oyster po'boys and lobster bisque.
Jaleo
Address: 3 locations: 480 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004; 7271 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814; and 2250 A Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA 22202
Phone: 202-628-7949, 301-913-0003 and 703-413-8181
Website: jaleo.com
Freebie: Olives, in all colors and shapes. Green, black, muddy brown. I’m sure chef-owner Jose Andres hand-picked them all in Spain himself.
Wolfgang Puck’s The Source
Address: 575 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-637-6100
Website: wolfgangpuck.com
Freebie: Stir-fried Schezuan-style green beans, served with chopsticks, not a fork.
PS7’s
Address: 777 I Street, NW Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-742-8550
Website: ps7restaurant.com
Freebie: Sesame crackers made in-house for the tables, and bowls of caramel-glazed popcorn for the bar counters.
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8 Comments:
It'd be nice to see this kind of directory for other major cities as well. For example, out in L.A. just north of the Staples Center on S. Fugueroa St. you'll find The Original Pantry Cafe. They have one of my pre-meal freebies: A big honkin' serving of their handmade cole slaw. From their web site, "Like cole slaw? We go through 2.5 tons of cabbage per week (130 tons per year) for our special variety." Open 24/7 and serving 2,500 - 3000 meals daily, I just wonder what kind of cook-power it takes to make all that cole slaw.
LunaPierCook at 4:23PM on 04/10/08
I'm not a big fan of Capital City Brewing Company, but the few times I've eaten there I loved the pretzle basket, not only multiple types of pretzles, but multiple condiments as well. Nice touch.
seadkdc at 5:11PM on 04/10/08
This is a great topic. I'll post something about it and your entry on my restaurant blog at www.baltimoresun.com/diningatlarge and see if we can come up with some freebie suggestions for the Baltimore/Annapolis area.
ElizabethLarge at 10:47AM on 04/11/08
Ten Penh also a freebie that I guess is considered an amuse bouche -- it's a tall shot glass filled with whatever soup the chef happens to make. Every one I've tried has been amazing, especially a spicy butternut squash that I had the first time I went.
terplinz at 1:48PM on 04/11/08
I was at Ray's the Steaks in Arlington last night and remembered their bowl of cajun-spiced cashews for initial snacking. And even better, the shot of complimentary cinnamony hot chocolate they give you post-meal.
Also, there's the pails of peanuts at burger chain Five Guys.
@ElizabethLarge -- Loved your post!
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/blog/2008/04/best_premeal_nonbread_freebies.html#more
Erin Zimmer at 12:07PM on 04/12/08
I'm glad my friends and I aren't the only ones who partially judge a restaurant by it's freebies. One of my favorite restaurants called "L'Ami Jean" always starts with an amuse bouche, and always ends with a complimentary basket of madeleines. Two freebies; very high rating on our list...
degualle at 12:08PM on 04/13/08
in new york one of my favorites is tanoreen, in bay ridge. they give pickles and the best pickled beets ever. i love pickled beets.
anado at 10:10PM on 04/13/08
This may be somewhat sacrilegious...but Mela Urban Bistro in Springfield, Ohio (sorry, no major city here) is in the Courtyard by Marriott and although their free starter is a bread basket with olive oil for dipping, it also comes with an olive tapenade that is good enough that (1) my very picky husband will eat it, and (2) as the olive lover in the family, I have considered skipping the bread altogether (and the bread's good) and eating the tapenade with a spoon. www.melaurbanbistro.com, I think. Enjoy =)
akk328 at 12:49PM on 04/14/08