Details

Teaism - Lafayette Square

800 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20006

202-835-2233

Neighborhood: Downtown, Downtown

Cuisines: Japanese, Breakfast

Opening Hours:
Open Monday through Friday 7:30 to 5:30; Saturday and Sunday closed.

Nearby Metro Stops: McPherson Square, Farragut West

Price Range: Inexpensive

Dress: Informal

Noise Level: Intimate

Reservations: Not Accepted

Website: http://www.teaism.com

Best Dishes:
Bento boxes; beef ochazuke; Thai chicken curry; salty-oat and chocolate/salty-oat cookies; ginger/limeade.

Price Details:
Small plates $2 to $6.50, bento boxes $8.75, entrées and sandwiches $6 to $8.50.

Dirt Cheap Eats 2009: Teaism

There are reasons these urban teahouses are packed during the lunch rush—the food is fast, healthy, cheap, and tasty. And don’t forget those salty oat cookies ($1.95) that devotees can’t leave without.

But first eat your veggies. Bento boxes ($8.75) have everything you need for a filling lunch. The fried-chicken version arrives with sweet potatoes, rice sprinkled with nori and sesame seeds, and a cucumber-ginger salad, while the lighter salmon box trades the sweet potatoes for edamame.

Beef ochazuke ($7.75) is a refreshing green-tea soup poured over brown rice. Thai chicken curry ($8.50) is another delicious bet. Wash it all down with one of the many flavors of tea or an addictive ginger limeade ($2). Not all menu items are available at every Teaism; the Penn Quarter location has the most expansive menu.

Open Monday through Friday for breakfast and lunch.

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