FoodieTots.com

FoodieTots.com header image 2

American Trail Exhibit Opens at National Zoo

August 31st, 2012 · 3 Comments

The newest exhibit at our National Zoo opens to the public at noon tomorrow, Saturday, September 1. After lengthy renovations, the American Trail, home to North American river otters, beavers, the bald eagle, wolves and the beloved seal and sea lions, reopens with additional viewing areas, environmentally-friendly site design and water conservation features.

sea lion national zoo

Of course, my interests in the new exhibit tend to the fishy side… specifically, the new Seal Rock Cafe and its sustainable seafood options. I visited this week for a preview and chatted with chef Tom Ramsey. With new food provider Sodexo, the Zoo has significantly upgraded its food offerings this summer. The American Trail’s cafe offers local and certified sustainable seafood, including a lobster roll, shrimp roll, or Hawaiian poke salad. The fish in the poke salad will change according to what’s available. (And tofu can be substituted in any dish.) It’s fresh, tasty and all served in stylish bamboo dishes.

seal rock cafe sustainable seafood

The exhibit leads you down a quiet, shady canyon towards the seal and sea lion pools. The new viewing area gives you above and below water viewing opportunities. Lastly, the new exhibit features a tide pool splash pad — so the kids can splash around while you’re chowing down on that lobster roll. Fun!

splash pad tide pool

Tags: around DC

3 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Monica // Sep 1, 2012 at 9:50 am

    What an awesome blog! I’m looking forward to reading more. Your recent stewed squash recipe looks amazing!

  • 2 nicole // Sep 1, 2012 at 2:23 pm

    I’m loving this blog, the food, the adventures, the tots… =)

    Aloha,
    Following ya now from the Bloggy Mom’s September link up. If you’re up for a bit of a ride I’d love to have ya join me at localsugarhawaii.com where we’re riding the wave of life together one little adventure at a time.

    xo,
    Nicole
    localsugarhawaii.com

  • 3 Lydelle // Sep 13, 2012 at 5:19 pm

    sounds awesome! man, do i wish that i had a lobster roll now…it would probably go really well with some fries and a few thin strips of grass fed beef. yummy.