Pow Pow

The concept is good but the execution was lackluster. I stepped in not knowing it was a vegan place so I was very impressed by their fried chickens and cauliflower. I like vegan food and am always curious to know what kind of inventions people will think of. BUT. The carb options was well below average. The noodles had so much spring onion in them - I mean, about 60% of the dish was uncut spring onions. The noodles were all broken and difficult to grip with chopsticks, even forks. The fried rice was way too wet and sweet. Again, they blasted the rice with spring onion Would I come back? Maybe, with heavy modifications to my dishes. Also wasn't a fan that despite us dining in, they were all served in difficult to eat in takeout boxes.

So this was my first time at Pow Pow. Stop here while checking out the WORD museum. The food was great! I was a little apprehensive but wanted to try something different. I must say that the food was extremely fresh. I tried the gluten free fried chicken. Whoa! Crunchy and everything, the taste was so good! And I’m a meat eater. Lol! Plenty of food, I couldn’t even finish the large bowl. It was packed with protein since I also had quinoa.

Plant-based takes on my favorite childhood AND drunk college favorites? Sign. Me. Up. Pow Pow is my life embodied in a single restaurant, with all of the indulgent, delicious Asian guilty pleasures that were forced out of my diet when I became a pescatarian. Whether it's orange chicken, sweet and sour pork, and a good ol' teriyaki stir fry, Pow Pow has you covered with its delicious array of vegan bowls. They're also super accommodating of other dietary restrictions, with a separate GF menu (or you can make any of their other bowls GF with a few substitutions). It's genuinely impossible to go wrong with a single item on their menu, but a few favorites are: - Tokyo Roboto: perfectly balanced teriyaki sauce with a touch of bright acidity from the grilled pineapple...absolutely chef's kiss. - K-Town BBQ: maybe I'm just a sucker for pineapple because the pineapple kimchi really binds this whole dish together...the sesame drizzle on top of the Korean BBQ-flavored "chicken" also kicks this bowl up a notch - Sticky Sesame: if I'm feeling something a bit more indulgent, this is the perfect go-to -- the "chicken" is fried to perfection, and the sauce is perfectly sticky and sesame-y - Trolley Fries: my favorite when I'm feeling ~especially~ indulgent. The flurry of sauces / toppings (kimchi, Korean ketchup, togarashi mayo, cashew cheddar) gives these perfectly crispy fries all the flavor in the world. The slivered scallions add just a touch of green to help you pretend you're being healthy, and you can also top this bundle of wonders with a protein of choice - Thai Pumpkin Soup: I'm 99% sure this is just a seasonal item for the fall / winter, but it is fantastic, and I'm going to need this on the full-time menu ASAP. It has a rich pumpkin flavor made luxurious by the coconut milk and delightfully comforting with a touch of heat by all the spices Beyond the absolutely PHENOMENAL food, everything about Pow Pow sparks joy -- from the utilitarian, but upbeat atmosphere with A+ music selection, to the quick and friendly service, every element of Pow Pow's dining experience was well thought-out and expertly executed. You can order at one of two kiosks (great if you're feeling antisocial and / or just want to spend some extra time staring at the menu), and then take your pick of a table or barstool if you'd like to watch passerby while waiting for your name to be called. All in all, Pow Pow has solidified its spot as one of my go-to D.C. spots -- while the H Street location will always have a special place in my heart as our OG, I'm so excited that we also have the Franklin Park location!

The food was good but the crispy lemon chicken I got looked nothing like the photo on the kiosk ordering machine. I had never been there so I ordered based on how it looked and I was disappointed that the food didn’t even slightly look anything’s like the photo. The fried rice was soggy and it wasn’t enjoyable for me to eat. Salad was good though. And most of all, The vegan rolls were delicious!!! It was finger licking good. Theres not much drink so probably take your own drinks but other than that, service was good. Cute little place too.

I had high hopes for this place. My boyfriend and I got 2 dishes each and unfortunately did not like anything we got. And it was so expensive. I ordered the Angry Noodles and they were out of the Korean BBQ chicken and subbed some sort off Impossible Burger gravy. It was not what I was expecting and certainly not worth $18 on that dish alone. We only go to vegan restaurants and unfortunately this one was a GIANT flop.