My roommate and I recently made a life-changing discovery: We tried Caviar. Nope, we did not discover the fish roe delicacy, but rather a new food-delivering platform. Similar to Postmates or UberEats, Caviar delivers food from over 2,000 restaurants all around the city. However, unlike UberEats or Postmates, where the delivery fee may vary based on time and demand, many restaurants on Caviar offer free delivery or have a set delivery cost. Further, for your first order, delivery is free regardless of where you order from. I found this to be super helpful, and, given all the choices on Caviar, it is now my favorite food delivering service!
Upon our discovery a week ago, my roommate and I have already ordered twice from different places to satisfy all of our different food cravings. We tried The Little Beet, a farm to table fast-service restaurant, and Chiko, a Chinese Korean fusion restaurant. From The Little Beet, I ordered a Yuzu Poke bowl. The dish itself consisted of marinated salmon, brown rice, slow, and avocado. It certainly wasn’t the best poke bowl I’ve ever tasted, as the seasoning was fairly mediocre, but the portion size was worth the price. Chiko was definitely pricier and the portion size smaller, but the quality of food was also better. However, both restaurants didn’t amaze me, so it is unlikely that I will order from them again.
But I’ve compiled a short list of restaurants on Caviar to help you satisfy all your foodie moods:
When life’s been tough, and you need some crack…order from Momofuku Milk Bar. Christina Tosi’s famous Crack Pie is the perfect gooey, buttery treat that will leave you on a sugar high and craving for more. Also, I am absolutely obsessed with their chocolate malt cake. I swear the cake is the ideal balance between layers of fluffy chocolate sponge cake and extremely decadent fudge and frosting.
When you’ve been sick, and you’re feeling aw-pho…order from Simply Banh Mi. From banh mi sandwiches to pho, this restaurant on Wisconsin Avenue is a perfect place to seek out Vietnamese comfort food. According to a friend who tried the Beef Brisket Pho, “the soup is well seasoned, the beef is tender, the noodles are soft, and the bean sprouts add the perfect amount of crunchiness.” Also, to all vegetarians or vegans out there, they serve vegan pho here too. Based on online reviews, the vegan pho is exceptionally flavorful too. I’ve never ordered take-out pho before, but I presume it’ll taste equally good.
When you have beef with your friends…order from Ben’s Chili Bowl. For over 50 years, this U Street establishment has been serving the community with delicious chili dogs and burgers. The restaurant also delivers veggie burgers and healthier options too. Further, by ordering from Ben’s Chili Bowl, you will be supporting a black business and helping to combat the effects of gentrification. Fun fact: in 2009, President Obama visited and ate at this restaurant.
When you need to taco-bout your issues…order from Takorean. This Mexican-Korean fusion joint serves a variety of Korean-inspired tacos. The establishment started as a food truck but because of its success, now has three restaurants around the city. I tried the Tofu Taco the other day and I loved the sweetness of the caramelized hoisin sauce. The tofu is not the crunchiest but I enjoyed the flavors and the variation in texture. After deciding what protein you would like to have with your taco, you can also spice things up with a choice of three different slaws and a variety of toppings.
When you want to explore all the pasta-bilities, order from Osteria Al Volo. This Italian restaurant delivers a wide variety of pasta dishes suitable for carnivores and vegetarians alike. The Rigatoni Alla Norma (rigatoni with roasted eggplant and tomato sauce) looks absolutely decadent and so does the pappardelle All’Agnello (pappardelle with roasted lamb ragu). Online reviews also rave about their desserts so I would highly recommend ordering some desserts too. I haven’t tried Osteria Al Volo yet, but this will, without a doubt, be my next Caviar order.
