the washington post friday, december 3, 2010 l
16 EZ
DinnerDeals
Meals under $15
PHOTOS BY EVY MAGES FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
Figs Fine Foods’ special open-faced sandwich, above, hits the spot, with Lebanese fig jam, brie, pears and walnuts on Persian barbari flatbread. At right, James Davidson and DorothyMiller have lunch at the counter at Figs.
An inviting mix of sweet, savory But while there are plenty of Moroccan and BY JUSTIN RUDE
When Reem Azoury opened her stylish Mo- roccan/Lebanese market and restaurant in the District’s Palisades neighborhood in 2005, it quickly earned a reputation as a healthful and delicious option for pan-Middle Eastern favor- ites. Azoury is now gone (she moved to Lebanon with her family early this year), but she left Figs Fine Foods in the capable hands of her partner, Michael Alfa. Luckily, not too much has changed, but that
doesn’t mean Alfa hasn’t been innovative. An addition to the restaurant’s arsenal of sandwich- es, saladsandsides is his “wish list.”Tomake sure loyal customers get first crack at their favorite specials — which often sell out quickly — Alfa keeps a list of guests and their favorite Figs foods, such as the chicken tagine or artichoke crowns and rice. When those dishes are on the menu, he sends text messages to those on the wish list asking if he should set some aside for them. “People have really responded to it,” Alfa says. “Rightnowit’s growing by leaps and bounds. I’m going to need someone to manage it soon, it’s getting so big.”
Michael Alfa puts technology to good use at his cafe:He keeps a list of patrons and their favorite specials.Whenthe specials are on the menu, he sends them a text message to see if he should set some aside for them.
On the menu: The chicken tagine, tart with preserved lemons and served with couscous, is only one of the traditional Moroccan dishes on the menu. OtherMiddle Eastern flavors include b’stilla, a chicken and almond pie dusted with powdered sugar that mixes sweet and savory in the same dish, and zaa’louk, a cooked salad of eggplant and tomatoes.
Lebanese influences on the menu, it isn’t domi- nated by them, leaving room for others, such as the Italian flavors that appear in the eggplant gratin with turkey Bolognese sauce, or the Greek influence behind the vegan spinach pie. The restaurant is probably at its best when it
fuses all these flavors, such as in the Figs special sandwich, an open-faced affair that tops Persian barbari bread with Lebanese fig jam, brie, sliced pear and walnuts. The sandwich is warmed in the oven just before serving, and the result is sweet, slightly melted and very satisfying. Figs Fine Foods is vegetarian and vegan
friendly with a huge selection ofmeatless salads, sides and sandwiches and rotating specials.
At your service: Alfa is a gregarious host, greeting customers as they enter and helping them make selections before ringing them up. He even admits to making off-menu specials for regulars, including a delicious-sound- ing turkey meatball sub with mozzarella and basil cooked inside the barbari flatbread.
Wet your whistle: Italian so- das and small-batch root beer highlight a case of soft drinks across from the cold display case.
Bottomline:Agreat neighbor- hood spot for healthful, flavor- ful fare.
rudej@washpost.com
Only until Midnight, December 5*
Served to you by: Today’s Deal
$30 Voucher for $15 Travel to Southeast Asia by way of Heritage Asia in Georgetown. You’ll discover an
assortment of Pan-Asian delights at this enticing bistro. 2400 Wisconsin Avenue, NW • Washington, D.C. 20007 • 202.333.3120
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Dishes such as beet salad, edamame and corn salad, garbanzo salad and orzo salad keep the menu healthful, and meatless options make it vegetarian and vegan friendly.
FIG’S FINE FOODS 4828 MacArthur Blvd. NW Contact: 202-333-7773.
www.figsfinefoodsdc.com Hours: Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Saturday noon-8 p.m. Prices: Salads, entrees and sides: $3-$16. Sandwiches: $7-$9. Wheelchair access: No Kid friendly: No kids menu, but there are plenty of kid-friendly flavors.
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