DH and I have a terrible habit of never trying anywhere new to eat. There are so many wonderful places to eat in Washington DC, and sometimes it is super hard to branch out and try something new rather than to go back and eat something tried and true. I swear I’m going to have the hardest time if we move to a small town with limited restaurant/grocery choices. I have grown very, very, very spoiled with good food.
So, we decided one night that we would try somewhere new. The Fainting Goat has been around since 2013, but we still hadn’t been. I have long been obsessed with fainting goats (before I learned what that physiologically entailed…though the goats are still adorable), so we gave it a shot. If you aren’t won over by adorable logos alone, read on.
There is a lot of goat on the menu, and I don’t eat goat. Because I don’t like goat. So don’t fear if you are like me–there are plenty of other items you can choose from, promise. I even tried DH’s goat. And guess what? I really, really don’t like goat.
They separate their menu into cute little terms: nibble, graze, chomp, etc. I so wish that people would use animal terms to describe human habits more frequently. It’s so endearing.
We started with fried oysters and the flatbread from the Nibble and charred octopus from the Graze. The fried oysters are served with celeriac and kholrabi. I’m a huge fan of celeriac (like celery, but a better texture and a more refined taste comes from the root), so the oysters were a huge hit. Needless to say, those oysters were gone in no time flat.
Octopus has become one of my favorite dishes, if done right. It can be oh so tender and flavorful, while not mushy or chewy. This octopus was some of the best I’ve had. Plus, it rested on heirloom beans that were just the right amount of tangy. Absolutely scrumptious! Sorry for the slightly blurry photo, I was probably trying to fend off my rabid husband with one arm. He steals octopus.
The flatbread was definitely decent–with clams and arugula–but it was overshadowed by the deliciousness of the oysters and the fantastic octopus. Flatbreads are also not pretty, so no picture.
We had two sandwiches for dinner, from the Feed section of the menu. They were also delicious–I had a shaved pork sandwich (see avoiding goat above) which was a special that night, and DH had a shrimp-goat po’boy which he absolutely raved about. They were both served with pickled veggies that DH hated and I loved. I love all things pickled, so that was no surprise.
The atmosphere is crazy busy and noisy. Get a reservation. If you want to just go grab a drink, there are three bars on the three levels, but it’s still a very cute, intimate space.
In DC? In the neighborhood? Definitely try The Fainting Goat. They have a fantastic selection of draft beer and bowls of cocktails to boot!
