Morning delicacies at Yellow in Union Market district. | Emily Venezky/Eater DC Where to find lobster ravioli, arepas, baklava croissants, and more With Eater editors frequently dining out all over town, we come across lots of standout dishes, and we don’t want to hold back any secrets. Welcome to Eater DC’s rotating roundup of the best things we ate as of late. Carbs at Cucina Morini I was very lucky to make it to Cucina Morini’s short-lived pasta Mondays, when almost every order is half off. It was like trying to get in on a Friday, it was so busy. Dropping in at 5:30, my small party thankfully got a table and got to try a wide array of noodles. The best two were definitely the lobster and mascarpone ravioli and the squid ink pasta, but the wonderful marriage of the Calabrian chili butter and shellfish ragu is what really sold the squid ink for me. The ragu was incredibly meaty, despite only being made of seafood, with lovely bites of perfectly cooked shrimp and enough spice to balance out all the richness. The bread crumbs on top are a lovely addition, adding even more texture to a really delicious dish. 901 4th Street NW — Emily Venezky, Eater DC associate editor Pastries at Yellow Levantine cafe Yellow always seems to keep me on my toes, switching up morning pastry fillings and keeping me coming back for more. The baklava croissant has the same toppings as the old hibiscus pistachio variety, marrying the rose petals and pistachios with one of the best baklava mixes I’ve tasted. Perfectly sweet and still full of crunchy nuts, the filling also had a subtle rose water flavor that tied the whole sweet treat together. I also tried the jammy egg croissant, which had an even stronger shakshuka flavor than usual, with soft pieces of onion and bell pepper under the egg. My top tip is to get out of bed early and get yourself to Yellow within the first two hours, which is when the pastries are at peak freshness. — 417 Morse Street NE, E.V. Sizable starters at Carmine’s Tierney Plumb/Eater DC A triple threat at Carmine’s. Craving a good, old-fashioned Italian dinner on Monday, family-style Carmine’s in Penn Quarter was calling my name. The curved wooden bar up front felt right for date night (a couple next to us had the same idea). Here you can order lunch portions any time, which are still huge and doubled well as leftovers. The namesake salad bursting with flavor comes packed with generous toppings like huge pepperoncini and cubed salami, mortadella, and provolone. Another oblong white plate of rigatoni and meatballs hit the spot. And you can never go wrong with its lightly fried calamari or espresso martini. A Frank Sinatra soundtrack set to an ideal noise level was a perfect pairing with the NY Yankees World Series game aired above. Don’t forget to grab from a gold mine of wrapped mints before heading out the door. 425 7th Street NW — Tierney Plumb, Eater DC editor Latin snacks at Arepa Zone Serena Maria Daniels/Eater Detroit Arepa Zone’s namesake order. What started out as a stall operating out of Union Market, this bustling emporium for hearty, griddled Venezuelan sandwiches has gone on to become an ideal spot for a quick lunch, a filling family dinner, or for late-night hangs with friends — complete with the hum of vintage Latin pop music videos playing from a pair of television screens in the dining area. A bonus for vegans, Arepa Zone’s vegana arepa offers what I like to think of as the quintessential Latin breakfast in handheld form. Each one is stuffed with savory black beans that counteract pieces of sweet plantains and that all comes together with creamy chunks of avocado. Combined and tucked into the arepa’s slightly crisped cornmeal shell and you’ve got all of the components needed for a satisfying meal. It reminds me of the many typical Central American breakfast platters that I’ve indulged in over the years — with black bean puree, plantains, and crema — that provide the right balance of salty, sweet, and creaminess. 1121 14th Street NW — Serena Maria Daniels, Eater Detroit city editor