{"id":3018,"date":"2016-03-02T04:01:36","date_gmt":"2016-03-02T04:01:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com\/?p=3018"},"modified":"2023-03-15T16:18:18","modified_gmt":"2023-03-15T20:18:18","slug":"lebanese-taverna-pentagon-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2016\/03\/lebanese-taverna-pentagon-city.html","title":{"rendered":"Lunch Break at Lebanese Taverna"},"content":{"rendered":"
During my Pentagon days, I used to work in a grim, windowless, tiny cubicle. \u00a0One of my favorite escapes was lunching at\u00a0Lebanese Taverna <\/a>Pentagon City, just a short walk from one of the largest office buildings in the world.\u00a0\u00a0On sunny spring days, I used treat myself to lunch and fantasize about new adventures beyond my confines. \u00a0It also helped that the management\u00a0offers\u00a0a 15% military discount, not that I needed more incentives. \u00a0When I was asked to share my lunch experience at Lebanese Taverna Pentagon City, I immediately agreed.<\/p>\n The scene:<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0Although there are several locations of the brand, each location has its own personality. \u00a0The Lebanese Taverna Pentagon City’s modern yet casual design transports you to Beirut with Middle Eastern music and decor. \u00a0During lunch and early dinner you mostly see government employees escaping the cubicle and treating themselves to a yummy meal. \u00a0The brand is family owned, so it is not rare to see the owners at the restaurant whether it is dining, working, or chatting with customers.<\/p>\n The Food:<\/em><\/strong> \u00a0I must admit, I’ve been going to this restaurant for years and always order the same thing: The Taverna Platter. \u00a0This consists of four small dishes:\u00a0choice of beef & lamb shawarma, chicken shawarma or falafel (I always go for the beef & lamb),\u00a0hummus, fattoush, and Lebanese rice. \u00a0I always say I am going to order something new, but I don’t like to take risks during lunch… especially if I have to head to a meeting afterwards.<\/p>\n However, during my latest visit, I had the chance to lunch with Grace Shea, one of the owners of Lebanese Taverna who convinced me to taste other items on the menu. \u00a0At that moment I realized how much I was missing! \u00a0My favorites were the vegetarian dishes: \u00a0a beautiful beet salad with pine nuts, orange, and pomegranate and arnabeet<\/em> (fried cauliflower, chickpeas, and pine nuts with tahini sauce). \u00a0The carnivores will enjoy their take on the chicken wings. The “camel wings” are simply seasoned with lemon, olive oil, and garlic but they pack a great flavor.<\/p>\n The drinks:<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0Lebanese Taverna Pentagon City has a selection of Lebanese wines which I cannot confirm nor deny if I’ve had a glass during my Pentagon days. \u00a0I found their Lebanese Chardonnay to be crisp and light, perfect for a sunny day lunch at their terrace. \u00a0For those who want a cocktail feeling without the booze, I recommend their Taverna Refreshers, a selection of mocktails which range from the sweet mango lassi to my favorite, the tart and rich passion fruit ginger drink. \u00a0For dessert, save room for Turkish coffee which pairs perfectly with the decadent molten chocolate cake.<\/p>\n The Verdict:<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0Whether it is a lunch escape or a special occasion, Lebanese Taverna is a great choice not only if you’re looking for Middle Eastern food in the Washington, DC area but also looking to try new cuisines. \u00a0Although the cuisine is centered in a specific region, there’s a lot of variety within the menu. You can literally sit a vegetarian, celiac, vegan, and a carnivore all at the same table and they will have plenty of options to choose from. \u00a0Although Lebanese Taverna Pentagon City is my go-to location since it is\u00a0\u00a0the closest to my former job and my home, there are several other locations available which include markets\u00a0where you can\u00a0buy Mediterranean ingredients and cooking classes if you want get better at Lebanese cooking…<\/p>\n During my Pentagon days, I used to work in a grim, windowless, tiny cubicle. \u00a0One of my favorite escapes was lunching at\u00a0Lebanese Taverna Pentagon City, just a short walk from one of the largest office buildings in the world.\u00a0\u00a0On sunny spring days, I used treat myself to lunch and fantasize about new adventures beyond my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":3021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[252,39,7,2],"tags":[251,303,472],"class_list":{"0":"post-3018","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arlington","8":"category-dc-life","9":"category-food","10":"category-travel","11":"tag-arlington","12":"tag-food","13":"tag-lebanese-taverna"},"yoast_head":"\n<\/a>
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Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Lebanese Taverna, however, I’ve been eating there for years! Opinions are my own.\u00a0<\/em><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"