ala — Restaurant in Washington

I know it's been a while since I've posted a review (blame the pandemic!)

Here we go!

I have a fraternity brother who had moved to the area and for the longest time, we had been talking about meeting up but our busy schedules had always been a huge conflict. Finally, we were able to make time and coordinate our schedules. However, I wanted to bring him to my old hood (Dupont of DC) in order to make a positive impression since he doesn't know much about DC.

First off, I don't cook and haven't cooked in the last 20 years so if anyone knows where to go out to eat it is I!!! Hehehe. So, with 3 weeks to decide, I thought, hmm, what would make the greatest impression? IDEA! Oh, I know,! I recall that the Dupont area had international restaurant options. Oh, I know, how about Greek?! Oh, how about Mediterranian?! Oh, how about Asian?! Oh, how about Indian?! You guessed it, Mediterranian won!

I went online and the first thing that sold me was their website. The design and color choices of the restaurant and the pictures of their food presentations were exquisite! Moreover, I booked! I sent the invitation to my frat brother and he was all in.

Long story short, the weather (storming for about 15 minutes and much rain) didn't appear to be in our favor just before our reservation time and I was afraid he would cancel but he agreed to meet anyway and I'm so glad he did. Surprisingly, we both had safe and timely commutes. I arrived before he did. When I walked up to the building the outdoor seating area greeted me and made the first impression. Usually, restaurants don't put too much detail or care into their outdoor patios but this restaurant clearly had this in mind. Moreover, I walk in and I was greeted by the friendliest hosts. We chatted and chuckled for about 2-3 minutes about the weather and the commute. But let me tell you, the inside decor was just as impressive. Eloquently colored (not too much or flamboyant). Just right! The inside and outside decor had Ivy Garland leaves, earthy tones with pop-out colors that really help take the focus off the earthy tones. The Interior decorators did a fine job here!

The customer service of the hosts, staff, waiters, and even management were so kind, polite, and considerate, it just made you smile throughout your visit.

Of course, our waiter Anne, greeted us asking what would we like to drink to get us started as she reviewed the menu and that day's special (although we didn't have it, it was a great deal). Fortunate for me (my nerdy thing), I reviewed the menu online before coming into the restaurant, so I knew what I wanted. For my drink, I had the (Halfeti) with Don Julio, Lemon, Rosewater, and Strawberry Syrup. My frat brother had (Salalah) with Ketle One, Grapefruit, Elderflower, and Pomegranate. For dinner, I had the Red Snapper (1st time)-Fried red snapper fillet, hummus sauce, pickle, crushed coriander seeds, and sumac. My friend had the Adana Kebap- Hand-minced rib eye on a wide iron skewer and grilled on an open mangal filled with burning charcoal. Served with yogurt, pepper, and lavas bread.

The drink and meal experience was simple and just right for our appetites. All of this took place in the rain and it help to set the atmosphere for a natural outdoor and cultural experience. Yes, I know this sounds romantic and it actually was, but guess what?! We are both thinking of bringing our dates for another visit. (Me, a date. For him, his wife). Haaaaa! How about that?! Talk about satisfaction!

Highly...

Wonderful spot for some of the best Mediterranean food in DC! I visited ala for a casual Friday dinner with a few friends, and we absolutely fell in love with this place -- the space is super cozy and beautifully decorated, the service was friendly, and the food is amazing. We initially snagged a spot on the patio because there weren't any open seats inside; while the patio was spacious and gorgeous, it was sweltering outside (shoutout to DC summers). The staff was really thoughtful and offered to move us inside the second a table opened up. The interior was just as gorgeous as the patio, and I loved the comfy circular booths all around the restaurant -- it's a cozier dining experience compared to the standard rectangular ones, and it makes sharing food so much easier.

Speaking of food -- we got a bunch of items to share. We started off with the dip combo, tabbouleh, and grilled halloumi, then transitioned to the grilled shrimp and roasted cauliflower for our mains. Everything was absolutely incredible.

I loved each of the dips, but you can never go wrong with a rich and creamy classic hummus. It went wonderfully with the soft, pillowy, and warm pita, but also with the crispiness of the fresh veggies. The tabbouleh was great on its own, but topped with an extra bit of creaminess and punch of flavor from either the hummus or baba ghanoush? Life-changing.

The grilled halloumi was, well, grilled halloumi -- how can you NOT love a chunk of cheese that's been grilled and slathered with honey, herbs, and nuts? The grill brought out more of the natural flavor of the cheese, and it was rich and slightly melty; the savory cheese went perfectly with the sweet honey, and I loved the extra bit of crunch from the nuts.

The shrimp was super flavorful and tender, with a great hit of spice and savoriness from the Urfa peppers and garlic. It typically comes with Turkish sausage, but you can ask for them to omit it if you don't eat red meat (although everything in their restaurant is halal, including the cheese).

Last but not least, the golden cauliflower was outstanding! It was beautifully roasted on the outside, with the char adding the perfect hit of smokiness to complement the rich, nutty tahini sauce. To lighten up the dish and add a bit of brightness, they also topped the whole head with pineapple amba and a lovely herby, lemony chermoula. Unfortunately, the center of the cauliflower was a little bit undercooked so it wasn't quite as tender as I was hoping, but it was still a...

This place is an absolute gem. Found it by accident while visiting from NYC and literally couldn't have been more impressed. The ambience is perfect, they have a beautiful outdoor deck with tables comfortably spaced at a safe distance. We started outdoors then moved inside which is beautifully decorated with a choice of traditional tables and semi circular booths, great for intimate dinners or larger groups. The service was impeccable...I'm scared to mention the servers name in case I get it wrong but Leslie comes to mind and i think she said she's Columbian (we all thought she was Turkish at first!) She was amazing, beyond knowledgeable about both food and drinks, super professional at first but when we made it clear we were chill and enjoyed chatting, she took the time to stay and have a conversation with us which made our experience even better...it's the experience that makes people go back to a restaurant...not to be confused with service...a robot could give you great service but only a truly talented server can give you an experience that you'll remember and write about! The food was outstanding and the chef was kind enough to introduce herself to our table, I think her name is Serap (sorry if I'm wrong). Everything was delicious, I love Mediterranean food, it's so fresh and there are a huge variety of flavors. We tried so many dishes. It was a Thursday and we saw they had a bottomless brunch. That was surprising for a weekday but what was more surprising was that the food was bottomless as well as the booze!! I think we tried everything on the menu, it was so good we kept ordering more, in fact the only bad thing about the restaurant is that you might gain 5lbs from one sitting! The drinks were also great, as well as the usual mimosas etc you also had a choice of unlimited draft beer (including craft selections), wine and mixed drinks. The bottomless lasted I think 2 hours with dessert and coffee as part of the package and was only $39! Unbelievable deal...you could barely get beer and pizza for that price never mind exquisite food, drinks and service in an upscale establishment. If you're in the DuPont circle area of DC you HAVE to try this place, I might actually make the 4hr drive from NYC again just to have another Ankara brunch...Thanks guys - it was the perfect...