Busboys and Poets is officially my staple -- the place I go when I want consistently high quality, good food. As I've reviewed this restaurant four times in the past, I won't spend a lot of time introducing it and its concept. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner recently who announced his wife was almost vegan and he was eating vegan quite a bit these days. So you will see an increase of vegan items on their new menu and it is very exciting!
This is a summary of two visits to Busboys. On the first visit, we noticed new items in the appetizer menu including Vegan Chiken Satay, which I've had and is very good and Vegan Beef Sliders, which are also good. But, we decided to go with our mainstay of the Vegan Quesadillas. We soon discovered that these had changed too! Now on a green spinach tortilla, these quesadillas are even better as they are loaded with roasted red peppers, grilled onions, and jack cheese served with pico de gallo, guacamole, and vegan sour cream. Delicious!
I went out on a limb and ordered a new entree the Vegan "Coq Au Vin," which is named after a French chicken dish. They told me that they made the "chicken" is made out of soy protein and fermented tofu. It was very meaty and tasted more like soy protein and seitan than it did tempeh (fermented soy). It was served in a brown gravy of which there wasn't enough of so they gave me some more. It was served with white rice, carrots, asparagus, potatoes, and tomatoes. I really liked it.
Chris ordered the Vegan Pepperoni Calzone, which, as it always has, had too much dough and not enough cheese, veggies, and pepperoni.
On our next visit, we were with a large group of eight at the 5th and K location. We started with the vegan quesadillas and the Vegan Nachos. This was the most disappointed I've been in a vegan nacho dish in a while. The corn tortilla chips were cheap like the mass-produced generic chips you find in Safeway. There were lots of black eyed peas and pico de gallo, but not enough cheese, sour cream or guacamole. Cheap chips with a lot of tomatoes and beans aren't really that good.
For my entree, I went out on another limb and ordered the Tofu and Quinoa. This was so much better than the name of the dish. There was quinoa with spinach, zucchini, butternut squash, and tomatoes with fried tofu. However they seasoned it made it perfect and I absolutely loved it. They need a better name for this dish like Quinoa with Spinach and Butternut Squash -- yes, much better.
Chris ordered the Vegan Pizza, which is always good. It is loaded with vegan Daiya cheese, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and vegan pepperoni on a whole-wheat crust.
For dessert, I got the vegan brownie with ice cream. It was so fresh and absolutely delicious, courtesy of Vegan Treats.
The service on both visits was pretty good and the prices are fair. Despite not liking just a couple things, the dishes here are mostly great and I love to support Busboys and Poets on a regular basis. I only wish there were more mid-priced vegan options like this in this city.
Previous reviews
May 12, 2014
July 12, 2013
November 21, 2012
February 28, 2012
Busboys & Poets
2021 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 387-7638
This is a summary of two visits to Busboys. On the first visit, we noticed new items in the appetizer menu including Vegan Chiken Satay, which I've had and is very good and Vegan Beef Sliders, which are also good. But, we decided to go with our mainstay of the Vegan Quesadillas. We soon discovered that these had changed too! Now on a green spinach tortilla, these quesadillas are even better as they are loaded with roasted red peppers, grilled onions, and jack cheese served with pico de gallo, guacamole, and vegan sour cream. Delicious!
I went out on a limb and ordered a new entree the Vegan "Coq Au Vin," which is named after a French chicken dish. They told me that they made the "chicken" is made out of soy protein and fermented tofu. It was very meaty and tasted more like soy protein and seitan than it did tempeh (fermented soy). It was served in a brown gravy of which there wasn't enough of so they gave me some more. It was served with white rice, carrots, asparagus, potatoes, and tomatoes. I really liked it.
Chris ordered the Vegan Pepperoni Calzone, which, as it always has, had too much dough and not enough cheese, veggies, and pepperoni.
On our next visit, we were with a large group of eight at the 5th and K location. We started with the vegan quesadillas and the Vegan Nachos. This was the most disappointed I've been in a vegan nacho dish in a while. The corn tortilla chips were cheap like the mass-produced generic chips you find in Safeway. There were lots of black eyed peas and pico de gallo, but not enough cheese, sour cream or guacamole. Cheap chips with a lot of tomatoes and beans aren't really that good.
For my entree, I went out on another limb and ordered the Tofu and Quinoa. This was so much better than the name of the dish. There was quinoa with spinach, zucchini, butternut squash, and tomatoes with fried tofu. However they seasoned it made it perfect and I absolutely loved it. They need a better name for this dish like Quinoa with Spinach and Butternut Squash -- yes, much better.
Chris ordered the Vegan Pizza, which is always good. It is loaded with vegan Daiya cheese, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and vegan pepperoni on a whole-wheat crust.
For dessert, I got the vegan brownie with ice cream. It was so fresh and absolutely delicious, courtesy of Vegan Treats.
The service on both visits was pretty good and the prices are fair. Despite not liking just a couple things, the dishes here are mostly great and I love to support Busboys and Poets on a regular basis. I only wish there were more mid-priced vegan options like this in this city.
Previous reviews
May 12, 2014
July 12, 2013
November 21, 2012
February 28, 2012
Busboys & Poets
2021 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 387-7638
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