Tips for Dining, Eating, and Food Shopping in DC/Baltimore and Suburban Virginia
Start New ThreadApparently it will be at 11th and F.
http://pqliving.com/?p=7605
By hamster
on Feb 10, 2010 07:06 AM
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why not dupont?
c'mon
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Also on L Street between 18th and 19th (near the Borders)
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still not close enough! I get it - they need to be near offices....but still, I'd love to have one near dupont!
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Ew. I lived in London for several years and tried this place once when I was there. There was little on the menu that appealed to me, and I ultimately selected the least objectionable option. When I brought it home and opened the bag, I found it to be basically a bag of mayo with a few small pieces of bread, a small sliver of meat, a couple of things that would probably require laboratory analysis to confirm that they were vegetables, and huge dollops of butter and chutney. It was disgusting. To this day, I feel a little sick every time I see one of those place.
I realize the menu here will probably be different, but it still makes me feel sick just thinking about it. I'll probably have to start avoiding that corner.
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Doesn't sound the same - had salad with grilled chicken (real, not processed or coated in industrial glop), walnuts, cranberries, advocado (1/2 and actually ripe), interesting mix of salad greens and dressing choices (with contents and calories clearly marked)
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I agree. It's just a sandwich shop with perhaps some interesting stuff. I'd much rather have a good Jewish deli or Italian sandwich shop.
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Yeah, but sometimes, you just want something that's pretty well-portioned (i.e. not too much food) and fairly healthy, and this is why I think Pret is great. Where I work, it's mostly for the expense account crowd or chains where even the salads are huge and unhealthy. If I had a Pret near me, I'd at least have the option of getting a normal-sized, not-overstuffed sandwich, or even a half sandwich + something else if I didn't feel like anything heavy. It's a wonder why it took Pret so long to get to DC, but then again, it took 9 freakin' years for cupcakes to become popular here...
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I agree - to have a place nearby where you can run in, get something healthy and rather tasty for a decent price (for DC, anyway) is a very good thing to have.
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I also lived in London for several years and am surprised you tried it only once. Like most Brits I ate at various branches all the time. The sandwiches aren't brilliant but they are reliably good and made with reliably good meats and produce. It's leagues above Subway. For a quick, tasty and cheap sandwich/baguette place that isn't going to stuff you with a 1,000 calorie lunch, it's hard to beat what Pret a Manger has to offer. The coffee and pastries are also more than decent.
I'll be interested in how the US menu will differ. Probably much larger portions :(
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>am surprised you tried it only once.
Well, I disliked it enough the first time that walking by the place made me feel a little sick, so I certainly wasn't going to give them another shot.
My main issue was that their prepackaged sandwiches came slathered with ingredients I hated (mayo, chutneys, butter, etc). At least with Subway, that's not a problem.
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I really liked Pret when I was living in London. Fresh tasting interesting sandwiches and salads. Agree the problem with all premade is you can't pick and choose to leave off stuff. But I could always find a salad or sandwich that I liked; unless I came too late in the afternoon - they stock light since they don't carry products over 1 day.
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I actually thing their shrimp and cilantro wrap is pretty decent for a grab and go, and is quite healthy, as well. Throw in a container of grapes and I don't feel guilty at all. I tried their falafel sandwich, and while the flavor was good, the falafel was like breadcrumbs instead of balls, so it totally fell apart.
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Pret a Manger has been open at Metro Center for a while now. It's a couple blocks down the street from where all the DC to NYC buses pick up.
They have a nice variety of lunch items, but do sell into dinner time. Their sandwiches are fresh, but not huge in size. Interesting flavor combos. I like a chicken salad with cranberry and apple that they make. But, their egg salad sandwich was just gross. Their soups are decent --- and their brownies are pretty yummy.
For a place to pick quick eats, it is fine.
For a quick lunch or a nosh to take on the bus ride up to NYC, it's more than fine!
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