Food

Cafe Arax

A stripmall bakery/cafe with Armenian treats.

From April 2006 Dirt Cheap Eats

When Starbucks ennui sets in, Cafe Arax is just the antidote. With only eight tables, the cafe has a homey vibe courtesy of the Lebanese-Armenian owners. The usual lattes and chais are on the roster plus Armenian coffee, a strong brew similar to Greek coffee, and the Euro-style cafe glasse, as good an excuse as any to try the house-made ice cream ($1.40 to $3.75). All this java begs for a nibble. Look for the khorabia ($1.50), a crumbly butter cookie that melts in the mouth; nutty pistachio baklava ($1.50); and a hybrid Middle EasternÐAmerican sweet made with mixed nuts and graham-cracker crust. For the truly hungry, there are wonderful cheese-filled pastries, spicy meat pizzas ($2.25), stuffed grape leaves ($1), and baba ghanoush and hummus ($4.75) to swipe with hot, papery pita.

Ann Limpert
Executive Food Editor/Critic

Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.