YELLOW | Georgetown, D.C.
Come for the smoked dirty chai latte, stay for the chicken shawarma, and return again and again for the egg pita sandwich.
I’ve had somewhat of a moment with Levantine cuisine in the past few months.
My weekly grocery hauls have included compulsory visits to Sahadi’s, an 1895 specialty Middle Eastern grocer, from which I often return hands full with tangy labneh, warm za’atar bread, Castelvetrano olives, and creamy hummus. In recent weeks, I’ve tried my hand at homemade tzatziki (success), roasted eggplant (moderate success), Turkish eggs (still perfecting), and whipped feta (definitely not there yet).
I’m collecting an ever-growing list of dishes I want to make at home (chicken shawarma, muhammara, spiced lamb kefta) along with bookmarked Middle Eastern restaurants across New York City (Miss Ada, Theodora, Shukette). Open to further suggestions!
So when I visited Georgetown again last weekend, I naturally gravitated towards the neighborhood’s new-ish Bib Gourmand-awarded Middle Eastern all-day café and restaurant, YELLOW.
From James Beard award-winning Michael Rafidi, YELLOW celebrates the flavors of the Levant with sweet and savory pastries, Lebanese pita cooked in the 700-degree wood-burning oven, labneh soft-serve, Levantine-inspired cocktails, and their signature (not) pizza — an attempt to get ahead of any accusation of doing pizza wrong.
Whether for an early morning coffee and bite, a late lunch, or an early dinner and drink, YELLOW is a hit.
I’d know, since I tried each version in the four days I was back down in D.C.
Visit #1
My first night in D.C. called for a good long catch-up with my long-time best friend, Hannah. We booked a 5:30 PM table at YELLOW (the only time available on Resy!) and planned for a quick drink and a bite to eat.
We split the habibi classic hummus and wood-fired pita. Topped with a whole lot of za’atar, EVOO, and sumac, the hummus will have you asking for a second round of pita to scoop out every last ounce of it.
Don’t come without trying one of YELLOW’s signature cocktails, whether the West Bank Side (Gin, arak, mint, cucumber, and lime) or the kurkum-margarita (Tequila, turmeric honey, and mango) — each unusual, yet satisfying in taste.
Visit #2
We couldn’t stay away.
The next morning, Hannah and I grabbed a coffee and breakfast at YELLOW — not without waiting in line for 40 minutes! Don’t plan on ordering a classic latte, instead try one of YELLOW’s specialty coffee drinks curated by Coffee Director Ayat Elhag. I can attest personally to the smoked dirty chai (as smoky as advertised), though the menu includes other tempting options I’ve yet to try such as the Golden Date cappuccino with medjool dates and brûléed cardamom sugar; a Balkhava Mocha with roasted walnut, rose, and orange blossom; and a Coconut Cardamom iced coffee.
My favorite part of breakfast was by far the Egg Pita with soft scrambled eggs, kashkabal (a semi-hard cheese), labne, and a tahini chopped salad. Flavorful, yet with a ridiculously soft and creamy texture, the egg pita was with zero doubt one of the best things I’ve eaten all year. To me, the egg pita is worth a special journey.
Visit #3
Before I left to go back to New York, I wanted to sneak in one last lunch visit to YELLOW. I tried the Amba Chicken Shawarma with crispy batata, pali pickles, and green shatta labne. Amba, I learned, is a a Middle Eastern condiment of pickled mango; batata, a white sweet potato native to South and Central America; and shatta a hot sauce with jalapeños and herbs. I couldn’t help but snag a side of the smoked carrot hummus with green shatta and feta. As predicted, neither disappointed.
My (inevitable) future visit
Safe to say, I’ll be back at YELLOW in (hopefully) the near future.
I’ve been adding labneh to just about everything (eggs, sourdough, chicken), so naturally, I’m curious about YELLOW’s classic labneh soft serve (pictured below) for my next visit. I also want to test out the Dirty Chai Espresso Martini with coconut foam and perhaps even a glass of the Lebanese wine.
I won’t be able to stay away from other dishes like the za’atar croissant, the ufra-thing egg bagel, the burnt eggplant (not) pizza, and the charred onion labne.
If you get to there before me, saha*!
i love the labneh soft serve from albi (which is probably the same/very similar to yellow’s). i also recently got to try la shukran which is great!! yellow in union market is getting a dinner service of kebabs :)))