Astor Mediterranean: More Cheapish Eats in Adams Morgan

When spring teased us with its gentle airs a few weeks ago, Adams Morgan merchants lost no time in setting up their sidewalk tables. That's when I took this happy shot:

My favorite dish at Astor's is the beef souvlaki sandwich, with its generous chunks of perfectly grilled sirloin. This is not fast food, even though you have to order at the counter. The meat is cooked to order and takes about 15 minutes to prepare. It's worth the wait, though. There have been times when I have been weak with hunger, temper on a short fuse after a long day at work, yet willed myself to wait patiently, as nothing else would do. On the other hand, since Astor's does a brisk trade in take out (and you may actually prefer to take your food home, as the place is a little lacking in ambience), with better planning I could have called ahead and had my sandwich ready to be picked up.

A tip: the sandwich comes with tahini and feta cheese, which completely masks the fine taste of the sirloin. I suggest asking for these toppings on the side, or skipping them altogether. 

And an observation: given that Astor's is primarily about Mediterranean food, the pizza seems remarkably popular. There are invariably people there to pick up their pizzas-to-go and from what I can see at the tables, it does look really good.

One day I will have to give it a try...if I can get past the souvlaki.

Dish To Die For: beef souvlaki sandwich