Dining Solo in D.C. Part 1

This two-part series documents what this food enthusiast with a small appetite managed to eat during my solo trip. (Why two parts? Because of Xiaohongshu’s word limit.. 🫠) ☕️ Gute Leute Right after landing, I took a taxi to this Korean creative café in Arlington. They previously had a pop-up in New York, and their first U.S. store is now in the DMV. They offer coffee omakase, but since I’m highly sensitive to caffeine, I opted for two decaf drinks. OH-A: Richly layered, slightly sweet but still within my tolerance Pine Cone: Leaned toward sour and bitter notes Almond Croissant: The filling was overwhelmingly sweet 😇—I ended up buying water from the Starbucks across the street to balance it out. 🇪🇸 The Bazaar by José Andrés A Spanish molecular gastronomy restaurant inside the Waldorf Astoria—my favorite meal of the trip! Almost every dish was exceptional. Drink: Watermelon Report 🍉—a surprising and refreshing blend of watermelon vodka and cilantro Tapas: Caviar Cone | Crab Louie Cone | José’s Taco—small but packed with freshness Cotton Candy Foie Gras—the corn crisp added a slightly unexpected texture Soup: She-Crab Soup—loaded with satisfying blue crab meat Main: Braised beef cheek—incredibly tender and flavorful Ended the meal slightly buzzed and 100% full, then headed upstairs to wash up and sleep. Pure bliss 😴. ☕️ maman A brunch spot originally from NYC, featuring a Southern French countryside vibe. The green-filled ambiance and blue-and-white patterned tableware create a naturally beautiful atmosphere. I originally came for the Pumpkin Pie Croissant Cube🎃, but while waiting in line, I spotted the fall-limited Martha Stewart’s Harvest Tart in the display case. It looked just like the kind of pumpkin tart a mother fox 🦊 would bake for her little ones in a childhood storybook 🍁—I was completely tempted and decided to order both. The Tart: As beautiful as it was delicious—roasted winter squash, carrots, red onion, garlic, and sage in a buttery crust. A bit oily, but so fragrant I finished the whole thing. Croissant Cube: The filling was delicious, but I was too full—only managed the baked meringue on top. Drink: Iced Vanilla Honey Butter Latte with sweet corn foam and bread crumbs—sounded overly sweet but was perfectly balanced and not cloying. I’ve always been a fan of Tatte, but I think maman is even better. #Food #DC #WashingtonDC #Travel #Foodie #FoodHeals #Brunch #MolecularGastronomy #StudyAbroadLife