Why go: The international flavor at this Palisades cafe/takeout goes beyond the Moroccan, Lebanese, and Mediterranean specialties in the food case. The brightly painted walls and quirky stacks of books recall a European coffeehouse.
What to get: Zesty turkey meatballs in tomato sauce; turkey-and-pickle sandwich on sesame bread; cardamom-heavy chicken bastilla, layers of pastry sandwiching a sweet/savory filling; chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives; Brie-pear-and-fig-jam sandwich; dips such as hummus, baba ghanoush, and the thick yogurt called labne; cold salads of chickpea, beet, bulgur wheat, or carrot.
Best for: Whiling away an afternoon—there’s free wi-fi, a sunny patio, and games such as Scrabble and Bananagrams.
Insider tip: Other than the sandwiches, everything you can order is behind the glass case or listed on the specials board.
>> See all 2010 Cheap Eats restaurants here
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.
