Brunch at Mitsitam Cafe

Mitsitam Cafe has been on my list for over a year now. I had read multiple times how delicious and unique it was, but who would guess a Zagat rated restaurant would be in the National Museum of the American Indian? My husband and I decided to eat here on our way to the Cherry Blossoms this weekend, and I am so glad that we did.

Exterior of the Museum

When we first arrived, the cafe was still a few minutes from opening. Luckily, they had an espresso bar in the main lobby so we started our visit by ordering some lattes. The drink options were so exotic, my favorite was the Spicy Chocolate Blackberry Cappuccino (complete with cayenne pepper) for an amazing, unexpected morning latte.

Once the cafe doors opened, we found ourselves a bit overwhelmed by the menu. Mitsitam Cafe serves indigenous cuisines from across the Americas.  Each station, separated by region, depicts the ingredients and cooking methods of both traditional and modern native cuisines. Your choices to dine are in the Northern Woodlands, Mesoamerica, South America, the Northwest Coast and the Great Plains.

We decided to journey to the Great Plains where I ordered the Pulled Buffalo Sandwich, which was delicious. A bit sweet, plenty juicy, and very flavorful for having hardly any 'extras' added to the sandwich. On my list for future dining is the Ground Duck and Buffalo Burger, it looked so amazing while grilling in their open kitchen. I will most certainly be back for more.

Pulled Buffalo Sandwich

Cheap Eats Series: Breakfast for Two for Under $20 in Capitol Hill

Recently, my husband and I were eating out on a Sunday afternoon at a local Capitol Hill restaurant. The food was, OK, certainly not great.  I had a sandwich and a beer, he had a burger and a cocktail, we split a side of their 'famous' fries that were seriously underwhelming.  Our bill, with tip, was $70. 

As we were walking home, I asked my husband "Was that meal really worth $70?" We both agreed absolutely not.  Now, I am not above dropping some serious money on an incredible dining experience; but, I really hate overpaying for food and service that screams mediocrity. 

Sometimes you want a delicious hot meal that doesn't break the bank.  With that, I decided to start a Cheap Eats series for Capitol Hill.  Places you can go for breakfast, lunch, or dinner where your bill (for two) is not more than $30, including tip.

My first Cheap Eats experience was at Jimmy T's Place on the corner of 5th St SE and East Capitol.

Jimmy T's is the kind of place where old men sit at the counter, wearing hats, and reading the Post. Regulars walk in with their kids and the sassy wait staff knows them by name.  The place looks like it hasn't changed much since 1960.  The restaurant is tiny with a few booths against one wall, a couple two tops spaced in the middle, and a dozen or so round bar stools for you to dine at the counter. But the place is loaded with charm.

Jimmy T's is a breakfast or lunch place, good news is they serve breakfast all day.  We arrived craving breakfast, and we definitely came to the right place! I had the perfect, simple breakfast sandwich with deliciously seasoned bacon, egg, and cheese for $5. My husband had a half waffle, poached egg, and side of bacon for $6.  Yes, that's right - you can order a half of a waffle. Genius! And the waffle was perfection - light and fluffy on the inside, slightly crunchy on the outside. It was seriously heaven. 

I believe the most expensive thing we could have ordered was a fully loaded omelette for $8. Our two meals plus two coffees came out to $15, we left $20 on the table to cover everything plus tip.  

Important Fact: Jimmy T's is CASH ONLY.  Just pop by the ATM on your way there, grab a single $20 bill, it's all you'll need!

Jimmy T's Place

501 East Capitol St SE

Tues-Fri (6:30am to 3pm) and Sat-Sun (8am to 3pm)

http://www.jimmytsplace.com/

Happy Hilling!

S.