6 D.C. Dishes Capable of Altering Your Brain Chemistry

It’s no secret that D.C. has a great food scene, but some dishes stay on our minds more than others. Here are a few must-try meals around the District.

I am not relaxed enough to dine casually. Though the term “foodie” makes me squeamish, I can’t imagine a better word for people like me — people who devote an inordinate amount of time studying the menu of a restaurant they have not yet entered. People who suffer so deeply from the mental torment of prematurely deciding between two equally intriguing meat dishes — supposedly offering such different experiences — that they are jerked from sleep by uncertainty. Those who have a compulsion to pair the finest plates with compatible cocktails; who become proficient enough in any menu’s language to gently manipulate their dining companions into ordering their own second, third or fourth choices under the pretense of full-table participation. 

Therefore, the TikTok trend “meals in [city/town] that altered my brain chemistry” has entirely shifted the way I dine out — I no longer have to make these agonizing choices. For those unfamiliar with the trend, users post photos of dishes they find transformative from a restaurant within place of residence. With this new resource, I look forward to sampling certain dishes rather than sanctioned restaurants. 

This trend is Gen Z’s gift to the internet, and I’m tagging along. The following D.C. dishes are the ones that changed my brain chemistry. They offer such gratification that I am almost never inclined to finish the dish completely — something I might do when a meal does not quite fulfill my palate’s satiability standard. Like me, you may begin to frequent these spots, whether it’s to personally reconnect with the flavors of each dish or provide your loved ones with the same transcendent experience. 

Endive Salad from St. Anselm
The endive salad is St. Anselm’s underdog dish. Located next to Union Market, the self-described American tavern offers tastefully rich grilled plates and sides. It’s arguably impossible to misorder here. I hated endive when I was a child, and that hatred went beyond my underdeveloped acquired taste. It wasn’t until my mother — an ardent fan of bitter greens — ordered us St. Anselm’s endive salad during a college visit that infatuation eclipsed my first impression of the vegetable. The anchovy dressing is a true savory paragon, and I fear I would never make another dressing if given the recipe. The fattiness of the blue cheese and candied walnuts mediates the endive’s bitter flavor. For others who can’t tolerate endive alone, I assure you this bite is transformative. I understand that St. Anselm is a humble steakhouse — and yes, you should order the steak — but please don’t underestimate this salad’s ability to diversify your inevitably carnivorous meal. 1250 5th St. NE, DC; stanselmdc.com // @st.anselm_dc

Chickpeas Kichadi from Rasika
The stigma of the vegetarian entrée became apparent to me as I pondered which of Rasika’s remarkable meat dishes was my true favorite — only to later realize that I consistently gravitate to their ayurvedic special: the chickpeas kichadi. Advertised as immune-boosting on the menu, I initially ordered this dish out of sheer devotion to my physical health. This turned out to be the best wellness trend I’ve ever participated in. The sweet date raita hugs the savory pot-pourri of hearty vegetables and legumes, a match so well-balanced I finish without my habitual dessert craving. Though the raita is a privilege granted via the kichadi, I believe it could glorify even a freezer meal. It’s just that good. 633 D St. NW, DC; rasikarestaurant.com // @rasikadc

 

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Mantoo Shrimp Dumplings from Lapis
Lapis’ mantoo shrimp dumplings with saffron cream sauce remain superior to most appetizers I’ve tried in my lifetime. This dish is successful for a few specific reasons. Firstly, the flat yet slightly concave shape of the dumplings retains small pools of the sauce — it does not just lazily slide off the dough onto the plate due to poor dumpling architecture. Secondly, the shrimp itself is roughly chopped and pan-fried rather than ground to the point of anonymity. Thirdly, the saffron cream sauce maintains such a buttery flavor it simply melts on your tongue with each bite. Though I’m aware it’s not productive to harbor regret, I still loathe myself for waiting four years after moving to D.C. to make a reservation at this Afghan spot in Adams Morgan. 1847 Columbia Rd. NW, DC; lapisdc.com // @lapisdc

Crispy Shrimp Tacos from Bandit Taco
It was clearly some guardian food angel who included a miscellaneous order of crispy shrimp tacos in my Uber Eats from Bandit Taco recently, and now I will never order anything else. I think it’s becoming obvious how much I love shrimp (it can garner success in so many forms). I always feel as though tacos are unsuccessfully attempting to distinguish themselves from other tacos when subjected to a hectic fusion of sauces and propped up in fancy tin dishes. This DMV chain eschews such nonsense — harnessing the power of fresh ingredients instead. The crispy shrimp is topped with classic pickled cabbage, roughly-chopped scallions and cilantro, and just enough of the restaurant’s lemon sake — a cream sauce mild enough to accessorize the freshness of the vegetables rather than disguise them. The appropriate treatment of the fried shrimp avoids any issue of excess oil, acquiring enough privilege to host the creamy lemon sake. Not only is this restaurant affordable — well beyond the standard of District residents — but it serves some of the most consistently delicious tacos I’ve ever had. Various locations; bandittacodc.com // @bandittacodc

Pistachio Croissant from Un Je Ne Sais Quoi
The pistachio croissant from Un je ne sais Quoi in Dupont Circle is perfect. I was five years old the last and only time I visited Paris, and I described it as “not child-friendly” after returning to kindergarten in the U.S. My experience of French culture — specifically French food culture — is clearly limited, and I should probably be barred from publishing an opinion on which American restaurants constitute the most authentic French dining experience. However, I do have some French friends who can attest to the fact that Un Je Ne Sais Quoi cranks out some of the most legitimate French pastries each morning. Their pistachio croissant is my favorite pastry in the city. Its rich, generous filling and crispy exterior is so compelling that I’ve pursued one every week since discovering the cafe — not always successfully because these croissants sell out so quickly that even on weekdays customers must arrive early to snag one. 1361 Connecticut Ave. NW, DC; unjenesaisquoi.square.site // @unjenesaisquoipastry

 

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Olive Oil Ice Cream from Happy Ice Cream
The olive oil ice cream with cocoa crumbles from Happy Gyro’s ‘Happy Ice Cream’ cart — though not a meal — altered my brain chemistry just the same. I thought I embodied class in high school when my friend showed me how to eat ice cream the “correct way,” by drizzling olive oil and sprinkling Maldon sea salt flakes atop a cold scoop. This memory resurfaced the first time I ordered Happy Ice Cream’s superior rendition (they too drizzle oil and salt over the already rich, olivey cone). To say I was in heaven is not true, as I was walking through dark rain in flip flops, however, the realization that I now had intimate knowledge of such a wonderful dessert brought me somewhere close. Though the cart rotates through four ice-cream flavors a day — sometimes excluding the sacred olive oil — you can stay up to date on its availability by monitoring their Instagram account. 1509 17th St. NW, DC; happyicecreamdc.com // @happyicecreamdc 

I have no doubt that the dishes I love so much will lure me back to the District once I move away. My D.C. restaurant exposure has possibly helped to shape my college years more than the anticipated hands-on political experience. Food is not life-altering for everyone. However, for those like me, exceptional meals produce the same effects as falling in love, breaking up, learning to swim, reading a great novel or attending a first music festival — the brain may never be the same again.

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Anya Wareck