By Jo Cooper
Teaism, with 3 locations in downtown DC, is always a great choice for a light but special lunch. Chef Rebecca Katz and I stopped by the Lafayette Park location yesterday, and I chose this colorful salad and their lentil soup. “Lentil soup” doesn’t even begin to conjure. I insisted Chef Katz try a bite of mine, and the next thing I knew, she was back in line getting her own bowl. That lady doesn’t mess around!
The lentil soup is pureed, and we’re guessing contains cumin, coriander, cayenne… perhaps a garam masala, for that depth of flavor… some celery…. a garnish of cilantro for sure. We’ll never guess their recipe, but honestly, it’s worth a visit to Teaism for this soup.
The cuisine is a lovely Asian / American fusion, the decor in each location is imaginative (I’m especially partial to the original Teasism at Dupont, but Penn Quarter does have the koi pond…). They do a nice breakfast, too (the ginger scones are legendary) and it’s rather a nice place to meet for tea.
