allergen-free dc

chronicling DC through food, avoiding gluten, dairy, nuts.

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Food (hehe) for Thought

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A great editorial affirming that while food is a medium for artistic expression, it should remain accessible.

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Buredo

Address: 825 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005

Price ($ - $$$): $

Menu (as of March 2017)

Website

Buredo (pronounced buh-REE-doh) in DuPont appeals to a particular type of consumer: someone with a bit of an adventurous and avant-garde palette. The eatery is definitely not for food purists as its main offering are traditional Japanese sushi rolls stylized in burrito-sized seaweed wraps.

What’s great about the restaurant is that they have multiple gluten-, dairy, and nut-free (GDN-free) and vegan options already on the menu. I (somewhat recklessly) decided to wing it and modify something on the menu so that it ~seemed~ GDN-free; luckily, it worked for me (though I don’t recommend this method unless you’re willing and able to face the potential histamic and/or colonic consequences).

The wraps are pretty standard burrito-sized meals; I was hungry so I was able to split one with a friend and then eat the other half of another friends’ order — inadvertently, I ended up trying two wraps.

First, I ordered (and modified) the Pai Mei wrap. THIS IS NOT MARKED AS GDN-FREE. The menu describes it as “salmon sashimi, asparagus, arugula, pickled red onion, daikon, katsuo mirin crunch, toasted sesame mayo.” Having googled all of the ingredients, a hungrier version of myself determined that no toasted sesame mayo would make this an appropriate meal choice (as sesame sometimes triggers my peanut allergy and I couldn’t be certain it was gluten- or dairy-free), though upon reflection I suspect there may have been trace amounts of gluten in the katsuo mirin crunch. Nonetheless, this wrap was so delicious I almost cried eating it. Salmon sashimi is a favorite of mine and I thought the combination of flavors and textures — the crunch of the asparagus, the slight bitterness of arugula, and the spiciness of the red onion and daikon — complimented the fish well. I was surprised by how much I liked the presentation itself; the wrap was not quite as filling as a traditional burrito but still left me feeling full.

*While I didn’t have an issue with the wrap, others may so consume at your own risk.*

I ended up eating half of my friend’s Elle wrap — it’s marked as both vegan and gluten-free (and it would have probably been a wiser choice for me to begin with). The menu lists the ingredients as “organic tofu, arugula, roasted red pepper, jicama, green onion, black sesame seeds, garlic crunch, passionfruit miso sauce.” While I often try to avoid soy and sesame, I gave in this once (it was worth it) — clearly this wasn’t my best restriction-free meal. Sometimes, vegan options can taste a little underwhelming, but I was pleasantly surprised by this wrap. The passionfruit miso sauce packed a punch and created an interesting flavor palette, particularly when paired with the ingredients’ different textures. 

I waffled back and forth about publishing a review on this meal — while the restaurant is generally inexpensive (all of the wraps at Buredo cost less than $12) and fairly allergen-friendly, I did not fully sample the allergen-friendly items on the menu. However, there are a number of options that are completely GDN-free. Additionally, I liked that I could see my food being made (always a plus for me) and that it is easy to make additions/substitutions as needed, rendering the meal generally more customizable than not.

All in all, while I should definitely be a bit more cautious about eating out without a clear confirmation of ingredients, I do recommend Buredo for a quick, affordable, and tasty bite while out in DuPont — it’s increasingly harder to find inexpensive places to eat in the neighborhood. When I go back next, I’ll see if there is a more in-depth itemized ingredient list available and will edit this review with that information.

Recommend to a friend with dietary restrictions: Yes, just make more informed choices than I did.

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Mi Cuba Café

Address: 1424 Park Road Northwest, Washington, DC 20010

Price ($ - $$$): $

Menu (as of March 2017) 

Website

Having recently moved to Columbia Heights, I’ve been eager to try some of the Latin restaurants in the neighborhood. I visited Mi Cuba Café a couple of days ago and could not have been more pleased with my foray into what the CoHi Latin food scene has to offer.

I tend to gravitate towards Cuban food as the cuisine uses simple ingredients in flavorful ways. In the past I have found it is quite easy to find Gluten-Dairy-Nut (GDN)-free dishes within Cuban cuisine; the offerings at Mi Cuba Café were no exception. I opted to split a main entree with a friend, which ended up being the perfect amount of food for a late lunch. We ordered the Aporreado (shredded chicken cooked in tomato sauce and spices, similar to the traditional Cuban dish ‘Ropa Vieja’ but with chicken instead of beef). Main entrees are served with two sides — we chose White Rice with Black Beans and Fried Sweet Plantains. Additionally, we ordered a side of Yuca Con Mojo. Upon confirmation from our waitress, everything we ordered was already GDN-free without any substitutions needing to be made.

To start our waitress brought out a complimentary bread basket — tragically glutenous. Still, I was able to resist the urge to give in to a tiny piece of bread (Hungry Pavithra abandons all logic in the face of a bread basket) as the wait for our food was short. I was impressed with the service — our waitress was attentive and the food came out within 10 minutes of ordering, despite the restaurant being full.

The Aporreado was well-seasoned though not spicy — definitely something I would order again, though perhaps with a request for more spice. The White Rice with Black Beans were fairly standard but filling. I loved the Fried Sweet Plantains, though I found myself wishing I had ordered a more savory second side and saved fried sweet plantains for a dessert. 

The Yuca Con Mojo was also delicious — not quite as heavy as french fries, particularly when paired with the light mojo sauce (olive oil, garlic, parsley, cumin, oregano, and salt).

Our total ended up being less than $20 before tip — main entrees (including the two sides) cost about $14 and a side dish rounds out to about $5.

Altogether, I was impressed with Mi Cuba Café: the food was yummy, the service was excellent, and the prices were hard to beat. I’m already finding myself wanting to go back (but be warned, I was gutted to discover today that they are closed on Tuesdays). 

Recommend to a friend with dietary restrictions: YES!