Cub Scouting plus Street Team Mission 3

Well kids, this is the Cub Reporter's first posting (she enjoys not referring to herself as Cubby as someone else we know fondly does...but I won't be naming names of course, because actually....we don't even do that here at S2).

So here's my first post, chock full of lovely things to waste your time reading.

Friday Lunch
Teaism
Teaism is a place you can go to over and over again (believe me, I have). It has a very old world ritualistic type feel to it. S2 says technology is not allowed while at Teaism and scolds its use as a laptop study space. I enjoy its laid back feel how you go to the front to order, wait for your food to come out on a tray and then pick your seats within the restaurant.
This past Friday included a jaunt with my friend to the Penn Quarter Teaism. (There are two other locations at Lafayette Square and Dupont Circle)
My meal: Veggie Bento Box with Silver Needle white tea
Friend's: Chicken Bento Box

Basically, anything Japanese and anything in a box, I'm sold. The main section was sweet potatoes and zucchini with rice, edamame, and tofu. The only awkwardness is that the sweet potatoes and zucchini are usually luke warm (while the rice is hot) and the tofu is in a sort of super salty soy sauce. The chicken apparently was good, but was too much reminiscent of plain chicken fingers. Her sides were rice, cucumber-ginger salad, and sweet potatoes.

Other recommendations:
Any type of cookie
Pick a tea, any tea - a good idea would be to look at their tea selections online before you visit so you aren't holding up the line with a dumb-founded look on your face of "oh my goodness, who came up with all of these freakin' types of teas?"
go get breakfast there too! - my experience has been with the muesli and the french toast, both keepers

Think twice about:
Japanese Sweet Tea - it's good, but only if you like to drink sugar water with a tea flavor
Veggie Egg Rolls - good if you like spring rolls, but very average none the less

Friday Dinner
Julia's Empanadas or here
Apparently there are 4 different locations of Julia's, I have encountered the one on the intersection of Connecticut, 18th, and M, (which I suppose makes it the Dupont location) and seen the one in Adams Morgan. (the other two have eluded me) Each empanada is around 3 - 4 bucks, the dessert ones are around 2-3.

As a sequestered vegetarian, I've only had the pleasure of eating the veggie empanadas (they change weekly depending on the veggies they decide to make them out of) and the spinach (which is the all around favorite between my friends) but apparently everything else is good as well.

Samedi Brunch
Le Pain Quotidien
Get here, right now. Don't stop at La Madeleine or Zed's. Go to Le Pain Quotidien (The Daily Bread for you non francophiles) right now. This basically made my weekend. I had a pesto and parmesan cheese omelette with two different kinds of bread (one baguette and the other unknown) and a salad (all served as one dish when ordered). A cafe au lait and a pain au chocolat for an apres-midi dessert. My accompanying friend had a goat cheese salad with the same fixings and a chocolat chaud which she was able to make herself with a cup of steamed milk and a mini metal pitcher of chocolat sauce. I was quite tempted to steal the butter pads they gave us, I was that entranced by it all. Can I also mention that I now have a love affair with butcher block tables? (it was just an admiration before)

Saturday Dinner and Dessert
Ben's Chili Bowl
Ben's is a staple of DC, defining it's character and keeping it grounded in the past. I always get veggie chili cheese fries and always finish it. If you are really hungry, get a milk shake or a slice of cake. You can never go wrong here.

Love Cafe
I have been fortunate to have visited the Love Cafe with S2 and have tasted the many different famous cupcake flavors causing me to not be overwhelmed at this week's visit. I had the amaretto cupcake (voted the best cupcake choice by numerous friends at the table, take that S2). An easy treat and an easy choice as it is only 3 blocks away from Ben's on U Street.

Sunday Fake Lunch
Eastern Market - Market Lunch and Unknown Bakery (?)
Apparently Market Lunch, famous for it's blueberry buckwheat pancakes only serves them on Saturday. Cool Market Lunch, cool. Since everything on their lunch menu had meat in it I ventured down the East Hall to the bakery section and bought an apple fritter and a peach turnover, and these guys know how to make pastries. (Both were only 3.75 and the size of a large plate) Two friends both had the crab soup at Market Lunch and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Street Team Mission 3
Sunday Dinner
Vegetate

At S² we don't like to hate. So if over-priced, awkward vegetarian food is your thing, go for it. It being half-off wine night made S1 and S2's dining experience apparently much better...

When I actually register what I did last week during my trip to New Orleans, I will post goodies about that...