Busboys And Poets - Washington, DC Review

Usually my saturday's are spent hanging around the house catching up on movies and TV but with the weather breaking it's time to get out and have a little fun. After my routine morning movie the bright afternoon sun invited me out for cool air and a bite to eat. I had a mad craving for a good sandwich and I wanted it from some place new (because I tend to get hooked easily...lol). As luck would have it I was standing on the corner of this place while on the phone with a friend inquiring about that sandwich I was craving. Once I told him were I was standing he told me I was were I needed to be and that he was on his way (living only 10mins away....lol)!

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the diversity in age, styles, and types of people just hanging out eating and enjoying the day as well as each other.....I thought to myself I have another home:~)! While waiting for Reggie and to be seated I saw a perfectly placed bookstore and went over for a look only to find another literary world within a world. Including books that range from healthy vegan eating to a pictorial of the Darfur crisis I found myself setting on the pillow laced window ledge reading away failing to hear my name being called in the background.

What's In A Name (A little history):

In the early 1920's poet Langston Hugheswho, for a time, lived in DC and was a busboy at The Wardman Hotel. On one particular evening Langston placed several of his poems beside the dinner-plate of American Poet Nicolas Vachel Lindsay who in turn the following day wrote in the local newspaper and spoke of his meeting with the "Negro busboy poet" which is the inspiration for the name Busyboys And Poets!

Their Mission:

Busboys and Poets is a restaurant, bookstore and gathering place for people who believe that social justice and peace are attainable goals. The Busboys and Poets location enhances the community -- allowing them to bring together a diverse clientele reflective of the surrounding neighborhoods and the city at large. Busboys and Poets creates an environment where shared conversations over food and drink allow the progressive, artistic and literary communities to dialog, educate, and interact.

Yummy!:

Entree's:

"Comfort food at its best" - The Washington Post

Catfish w/ corn cakes and collard greens...$12.95

Maryland Crab Cakes, with crawfish jambalaya rice and brocoli...$20.95

Blackened Salmon with wild rice, asparagus, roasted shallots, tomato basil salsa...$14.95

Grilled Chicken Breast with mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach, caramelized onions, Gorgonzola-mushroom sauce...$11.95

Homemade Meatloaf with mashed potatoes, spinach and mushroom gravy...$10.95

Veggie Pesto Lasagna with garlic toast...$8.95

Tofu Cake with saffron rice, julienne vegetables in a sake mushroom soy glaze...$11.95

10oz Sirloin Steak with mashed potatoes, broccoli, red wine sauce...20.95

Beans and Rice with pico de gallo .......$8.5
-with grilled chicken ...add $2.95

Meat Lasagna served with tomato cream sauce and garlic bread...$10.95

Pan-Seared Trout with crab grits, shallots, green beans, tomato, lemon caper sauce...$15.95

Ravioli (asparagus, mushroom, asiago) w/artichoke hearts, sauteed spinach, tomato...$14.95

Sandwich's:

Falafel, hummus, red onion and tomato on lavash...$6.95 (vegan)

Sweet Fuji Apple and Gorgonzola with fig spread on walnut raisin bread ...$7.5 (vegetarian)

Avocado, Havarti, sprouts and roasted red pepper spread on sunflower/multigrain...$7.5(vegetarian)

Tempeh with vegan mayonnaise, sprouts, red pepper and sauteed onion on black bread...$8.95 (vegan)

Tuna Salad with celery, sweet pickles, onion on sunflower/multi grain bread...$7.95

Blackened Fish- Mahi Mahi blackened with chipotle mayo, LTO...$9.95

Pulled BBQ Chicken with coleslaw on Kaiser...$7.95

Chicken Salad Sandwich with apples, raisins, and walnuts topped with avocado LTO on Sunflower/multi grain bread...$8.95 (my sandwich of choice)


Hot Paninis

Portobello with roasted red pepper, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto on herb foccacia... $7.95 (vegetarian)

Reuben- corned beef with Russian dressing, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on black bread...$8.95

Grilled Brie - with baby spinach, caramelized onion, tomato served with fresh seasonal fruit...$6.95

Smoked Turkey and Swiss, pickles, tomatoes, dijonaise served on black bread...$8.5

BBQ Grilled chicken, chipotle mayo, caramelized onion, pepper jack cheese LTO...$8.5

Peanut Butter and Banana, with organic honey served with fresh seasonal fruit...$6.25

Club - Turkey, ham, bacon, cheddar, tomato dijonaise - $9.95

(This is just some of the food this place offer's......YUMMY indeed!)

Would You Like A Side Of Book And Internet With Your Sandwich:

Busboys And Poets bookstore is operated by the non-profit group Teaching for Change with a catalog that provides 65,000 educators nationally with unique access to a carefully reviewed collection of titles. So you can pick up a good book with your bite to eat feeding the appetite and the mind. If that is not enough the there is the Internet option and for those of us that don't want to lug around a lap top who use our itouch or phones can touch away with free public Wi Fi while waiting or simply just hanging out.

The Bottom Line Of It All:

This UN of a restaurant is a great way to spend the weekend or a great hangout after work or classes if you are from the area. If you are not from the area then this place is a great place to visit and experience the rich diversity and warm community feeling BAP offer's....this little home away from home. As the soundbite reads all I wanted was a quick bite to eat and what I thought would take 1/2hr at best turned out to be the best 2 1/2hr sandwich I ever had and Sat afternoon I had this season....and it's only just begun!