Most assume the go-to dishes at The Fainting Goat involve the namesake protein, which is rapidly increasing in popularity as beef prices continue to spike. Goat dishes at the U Street restaurant range from a refined tartare to a street-style goat sausage. However, it’s chef James Barton’s vegetable dishes that really shine. The former Oval Room chef sure knows how to treat leeks—They’re served Spanish style with Romesco sauce. Then there’s the “garden,” a small pot of the freshest veggies James can find, which changes almost daily.

It turns out the restaurant, which opened this winter, isn’t named for an affinity for goat. Owner Greg Algie tells us, “I froze up talking to girls just like a fainting goat, according to my friends. I guess the name stuck." (If all restaurants are named after awkward encounters with women, that would explain all the references to brasseries.) Greg's cozy dining room and bar are constantly packed. “I tried to create something that was timeless, not trendy,” he explains to guests as they admire the somewhat eccentric décor. In addition to dinner, they’re now serving Saturday and Sunday brunch.