Maoz Vegetarian

oh hey, i'm a vegetarian. yup, i am. well actually, i'm a pescatarian...but you already knew that. i think. i hope?

when i saw the sign for Maoz Vegetarian one day when I was on M Street, i thought to myself "What is that little place there? I've never seen it before". good thing is that it was new to the south of dupont circle area of DC and DC as a whole, but after doing some research, i found that it actually is a chain. Maoz Vegetarian is a Falafel chain that is popping all over the states and is filled with an unlimited toppings bar and delicious belgian frites and sweet potato fries.

I had been wanting to go to Maoz for a while but when that glorious groupon/livingsocial deal finally appeared in my inbox, I quickly grabbed it up. Close buddy of BOOF, CCoast, was not going to be in town for my final DC weekend, so we decided to meet up and grab dinner on evening. I threw out the idea of Maoz and she had also been wanting to try it so it worked out perfectly.

As I had mentioned earlier, Maoz is located on M Street btw 18th and 19th and close to other previously reviewed eats, Penang and Malaysia Kopitiam. It is a very small restaurant and for dinner it is not too busy but word is that during lunch time there is a crazy line out the door. There is limited seating inside but it does have large hardwood picnic style tables that awkwardly contrast with the otherwise clean more modern interior.

Maoz has two main falafel meal deals, the Maoz Royal Sandwich which comes with a full falafel, a order of belgian frites and a soft drink. Maybe if you are there for lunch, you may consider the Junior Maoz Sandwich which is 1/2 the amount of falafel (3 falafel balls), frites and a soft drink. Both CCoast and I opted for the Maoz Royal Sandwich (only $9.00!) but I ordered the sweet potato fries instead of the regular belgian frites. The falafel is automatically topped with eggplant and hummus. However, there is about 15 other delicious looking self-serve-all-you-can-pile-on toppings bar.

The falafel is so delicious (and gluten-free!). The seasoning is delicious and the falafel is fried perfectly on the spot. I mentioned in my Pasha Bistro post how Mo commented that the falafel was not as fluffy on the inside as sometimes you like your falafel. I would say that this falafel has that fluffiness on the inside paired perfectly with the crispy exterior. Yum. Yum. Yum.
The fries were more of the same. Both the Belgian frites and sweet potato fries were seasoned well and perfectly fried. gosh, i want some sweet potato fries right now.

Overall, I really enjoyed my trip and would definitely go back for some delicious falafel...even without a coupon! shocker! But honestly, if you are looking for a quick bite, especially to take on the go or during lunch time, then Maoz Vegetarian is definitely your spot. Don't be deterred by the "vegetarian" because we are people too. and we like food. good food.


Grade: A-/B+

Crepes on the Walk

i love quick bites on a too hot summer afternoon. during the fourth of july weekend (don't judge that I am so late posting this), close buddy to BOOF, em, was in town visiting and we were in the chinatown/penn quarter area. we had just finished watching germany tromp into the semi finals with a 4-0 beating of Argentina (yes, i know they lost to Spain in the semis), and were hungry for something quick before the afternoon game.

there are so many options in the chinatown/penn quarter area...even just for a quick bite, so it is almost overwhelming to figure out what you want to eat. however, after trekking down a bathroom, as we ascended from the stairwell and immediately saw "crepes on the walk" and then our choice was made easy.

after being to many a movie at the theater, I have always wanted to try crepes on the walk but the perfect time never presented itself. so i was thrilled that the time had finally come and i was getting my crepe on the walk. also, it had been a long time coming since i had a crepe in DC and with tons of "crepe" places popping up all around DC, i am almost glad I am getting out of town because I would literally be full of crepes with nutella and strawberry and deliciousness...all to often.

it was lunch time, thus both em and I opted for savory crepes over sweet but I would definitely try a sweet crepe for a late night dessert (pre or post movie).

i ordered the simple but delectable spinach, mushrooms and cheese (i had cheddar) and it was quite tasty. there was nothing special about it and i could definitely make something of that quality at home but it was definitely good for the quick summer afternoon bite.

em ordered the grilled chicken pesto, tomatoes and cheese (she had swiss), and she also enjoyed her crepe. after debating whether or not she wanted cheddar or swiss, she opted for swiss which ended up being the perfect choice. the swiss nicely complemented the pesto and the chicken was cooked well but nothing special.

all in all, crepes on the walk is a nice option for a quick bite either pre or post movie. I definitely would try out some of the other really really really good options in the area, if you are planning to make a more educational trip to something like the portrait gallery or the spy museum. however, if you are only looking to spend a little amount of time in the area then crepes on the walk is definitely a nice alternative to mainstays like chipotle, fuddruckers, california tortilla and chop't. nevertheless, i think that crepes on the walk , though not trying to be something that they are not, they could definitely increase their savory menu and become a little bit more inventive with their combination. as i mentioned earlier, there are a slew of well-established and new crepe places popping up all around the city and some boast 20-30 types of savory and sweet crepes each. thus, it is going to be imperative that crepes on the walk kick it up a notch. BAMMMMM. yes, you just got "emeril"ed.

Grade: C+