RESTAURANT WEEK DC: Suggestion #4 - Agora, Mediterranean-fusion

Agora, located in the heart of Dupont Circle at 1527 17th Street, NW,  will be offering exclusive menus featuring Mediterranean-fusion cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Ghassan Jarrouj for both lunch and dinner during Restaurant Week.  On the lunch menu, guests will begin with a sampler of Htipiti, roasted red peppers, feta, thyme and olive oil; Cacık, strained yogurt, cucumber, mint, vinegar, garlic and olive oil, and Hummus, a purée of chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic, topped with olive oil.  Next, diners may choose between the Kaşık Salad, diced tomatoes, onions, red and green peppers, parsley, cucumber, feta cheese, black olive, olive oil, vinegar and Maraş pepper; Arugula Salad with tomatoes, arugula, goat cheese, lemon juice and olive oil, or the İmam Bayıldı, baby eggplant stuffed with onions, tomatoes, pine nuts and garlic.  Then they will enjoy either Falafel, fried chickpea patties with tahini sauce; Salmon, grilled salmon with pistachio pesto and a side citrus salad; Shish Tavuk, marinated grilled chicken breast with shallot, mushrooms, shishito peppers and tomato, served on garlic pita bread, or the Adana Kebap, skewered ground lamb and beef, grilled tomatoes and sumac onions, served on pita bread.  To finish on a sweet note, guests can choose the dessert of their choice, Kadayif, disks of shredded phyllo dough layered with vanilla milk pudding topped with orange blossom honey & pistachios; Rice Pudding, cooked rice with cream, milk, vanilla, topped with apricot, cinnamon and black currant, or the Pistachio Baklava, phyllo dough with pistachios and orange blossom syrup.

 

The dinner offering will allow guests to enjoy a five-course meal, beginning with the same sampler featured at lunch, as well as the same options for their second course.  For the third course, guests can choose between dishes such as Chef’s Börek, crispy phyllo roll, filled with goat cheese, savory and Maraş with tomato marmalade; Kibbeh, ground beef and bulgur dumpling, stuffed with ground beef, lamb, almonds and pine nuts over yogurt sauce; Bruksel Lahana, fried Brussels sprouts with white truffle crème fraîche and Urfa pepper, and Falafel.  For the forth course, guests have the choice of Adana Kebap, skewered ground lamb and beef with grilled tomato and sumac-onions, served on pita bread; Shish Tavuk, marinated grilled chicken breast with shallots, mushrooms, shishito pepper, and tomato, served on garlic pita bread; Grilled Branzino, grilled filet of boneless Mediterranean sea bass served with olive bread and grilled lemon; Lamb Loin served with butternut squash puree, fresh mint, toasted hazelnut and sour cherry sauce, or Garides Tava, sautéed shrimp with shaved garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, olive oil and diced tomatoes.  The same dessert options will complete the feast.

Agora’s Restaurant Week specials are subject to change, and will run from January 25-31.

Lunch is priced at $22 and dinner is priced at $35.  It is requested that the entire table participate.

Agora is open for lunch Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., and dinner Sunday through Thursday, from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.; Friday through Saturday, from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m.

For more information, call (202) 332-6767 or visit www.agoradc.net.