The Wait Is Up To Two Hours At Mason Social, But How's The Food?

For the Washington Post's First Bite, Maura Judkis checks out Alexandria's Mason Social. It certainly seems to be popular with the neighbors. Judkis says she was quoted a two-hour wait on a recent Friday night. She thinks that "vegetarians seemingly are cast into a corner" with just a few options. "Frankly, the place so far is hit or miss for meat-eaters, too," she writes, but then she discovers the keepers on the menu:

Look to the basics for Mason Social’s strength: Homey lamb-and-pork meatballs, Gruyère-and-shells mac and cheese, and Brussels sprouts braised in cider are among chef Joseph Lennon’s crowd-pleasers. Some main dishes, like the hanger steak, arrive pre-sliced for sharing — a nicely social touch. And you might find yourself discreetly licking the powdery pepper-and-paprika barbecue dusting off your fingers after a serving of fries —a winning combination that steals from its humbler cousin, the bagged potato chip. [WaPo]

Tim Carman finds the vibe at Meat & Foods on Florida Avenue NW "irresistible" and the sausages above reproach. But he yearns for more toppings, writing:

Several times, I found myself at a complete loss to find appropriate partners for the sausages here. My experience with the turmeric chicken sausage offers a good example. The smoked banger itself is above reproach: Juicy thigh meat is perfumed with ginger and garlic, stuffed into a natural casing, then slipped into a cushy potato roll. But when I asked [owner Scott] McIntosh — the tall, tatted gentleman behind the register — for a suitable topping, he suggested the kraut, which sounded like a hostile German takeover of the subcontinent. I was dreaming of other options: cool raita, tingling mango chutney, even freshly sliced paneer, anything but fermented cabbage. [WaPo]

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