Sal's Cafe - Washington

Fresh food!. We were very surprised and happy to find Sal's Cafe near the Holiday Inn on C Street, in between Quizno's and MacDonald's. We had the beef shwarma which was fantastic and the falafel also very tasty. The pride and care that Sal and his family obviously take in their cafe made all the difference in the quality of the entire place. I just wish we had time to take in some desserts which looked amazing. Thanks, Sal!

Halal carryout. A standard office building carryout (limited seating) in a part of town starving for decent lunchtime offerings other than fast food and government cafeterias. The welcome twist here is a varied Middle Eastern menu. <br/ <br/ Great wraps and pita sandwiches. My favorite is the chicken wrap--overstuffed with freshly grilled chicken, lots of high-quality produce toppings (including items you don't see elsewhere, such as yellow and orange peppers) finished with tzatziki sauce, could easily serve two for $5.25. Also enjoyed the falafel. <br/ <br/ Only disappointment was the gyro--meat was dry and there was very little of it compared to other offerings.<br/ <br/ Open weekends and just a block south of the Smithsonian museums--a nice change of pace (and price break) from their hectic cafeterias.

We always prefer places with personality. We gravitated towards Sal's when everyone else was going to the fast food place down the street. Great Mediterranean street food. Don't come here expecting the four seasons, but expect honest food that tastes good. More conventional dishes available upon request. Reasonably priced.

Got chicken shawarma, a lamb gyro, a salmon salad and penne pasta. Read a lot of the 1 star reviews after we ordered. The order was a little slow, but they guy behind the counter was friendly, very informative, and made my order as I wanted it. If it was a little faster I would have given 5 stars, but overall it was a great experience.

Did you ever keep going back to a restaurant for one dish that has become part of your very being? Sal's chicken piccata is one of those. I enjoy the homey feel of this neighborhood restaurant, but no other dish has grabbed me and the wine is lamentable. Still we keep going back for this comfort food several large cutlets over a heap of perfectly cooked spaghetti, every time.