At the Avenue Inn at 33 Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del. Drama accompanies the lamb, presented in a smoke-filled cloche that perfumes (but doesnt mask) the meat. Any fun places to try? My fall dining guide, for instance, featured a Hall of Fame. But Easter isn't *quite* like Valentine's Day or New Year's Eve, where those expectations run sky-high. As with so many upscale restaurants now, this one forgoes a la carte. What all the restaurants share are recipes from Sofia and her mother-in-law that make you feel as if youve been invited into their homes. 301-920-0082. shallarestaurant.com. Dude, Ive never seen you eat this much before.. Passport wait times are up again. New Orleanss famed fried chicken spot from Willie Mae Seaton comes to Los Angeles in full form (it opened a mostly takeout and delivery spot earlier last year) at a bright Venice space serving ultra-crisp fried chicken and other Southern staples. (Matzoh balls are optional.) Thats your cue to investigate his pastas, maybe risotto made with locally grown brown Arborio rice and flavored with smoked candy onions and black truffles, or ravioli plumped with braised pork and finished with a wash of brown butter and fresh sage. Some of Colettes unadvertised dishes include stir-fried lobster sticky rice, lamb stew, and winter melon soup, while menu standbys include classic beef chow fun, chicken wings glazed in a cola sauce, and salmon carpaccio. The goat, cooked similarly, is sharpened with ginger and garlic. I realize that's not great for those diners who can't break away early from work or other obligations, but the strategy almost always works for me. Mains $12 to $23. On with the show! Come October, the Blue Hen adds pizza and pasta nights to its lineup. Note Nina May in Shaw. 202-393-7777. artandsoul.com. Tender chunks of chicken pack the golden broth, gently herby and crammed with a fistful of carrots, celery, onion and egg noodles. Busy as the restaurant is, cubes of yellowfin tuna, charred pineapple, crisp jicama, whipped avocado and (were almost there!) You have my sympathies. Repeat visits reveal Opal to be a diamond in the rough; one nights pork chop on squash puree prompted yawns all around, for instance. It doesnt hurt that kids meals are served aloft toy dinosaurs. Multiple visits mean I can avoid being recognized, at least some meals. In the case of the Caesar salad, roasted Brussels sprouts add a nice smokiness, Asian pear lends a fruity touch and aged cheddar provides a faint crackle, from salt crystals in the cheese. The former operators of Enlighten Bistro 168 essentially moved from its Arcadia space to San Gabriel, and it seems the weekend crowds have caught on. Main courses are presented with a fragrant scoop of rice and a bright salad of chopped carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers nice touches that extend a meals value. A little facelift finds the brick-walled, gas-lamp-lit dining room looking fresh; a new head chef, Ben Pflaumer, delivers some of the most appealing food in Old Town. We asked ChatGPT to plan the perfect tour of D.C. Heres how it went. Visit Website. As I was reporting (a.k.a. Part of the fun of dining at Nostos is tagging the celebrities Maria Callas, Anthony Quinn whose near-life-size photographs grace the chalk-white walls of the Greek restaurant in Vienna. Open for indoor dining. Blame the labor shortage and applaud the talent. Food critic Tom Sietsema's favorites in February include a world-class French restaurant, Greek food and an Italian kitchen that never fails. When I made my deadline, one of the first places I hit was Parkway Deli & Restaurant. Open for indoor dining. As an example of the places we/I like in DC for an occasion Fancy Radish, Kinship, Blue Duck Tavern, the late Casa Luca, Siroc (Hopefully this also gives you a sense of a price point). Some dishes are simply sensational, like housemade pappardelle arranged with tangy roasted Roma tomatoes, a crumble of duck sausage and pinches of ricotta sweetened with honey. Escargots are freed from their shells, but not from gift wrap: peppery cheese puffs, a novel way to present absinthe-flavored snails. The patio, which its owners have transformed into aTulum-ish hideawaywith rattan chairs and chandeliers, envelops diners in greenery (see the bougainvillea snaking across the slatted roof) and its muted spa-blue color scheme. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. 202-742-9777. lecloudc.com. 703-241-1128. takumiva.com. We feed people at Monocacy. Sure enough, the buttermilk fried chicken shored up with mashed potatoes is portioned as if for linebackers save perhaps for the crisp snow peas on its abundant plate. Tom Sietsemas 7 favorite places to eat in June 2022, Tom Sietsemas 6 favorite places to eat right now, Gordon Ramsay Hells Kitchen at the Wharf is big, brash and good. While there are marinated olives, Rankin also created a sprouting cauliflower au poivre with Sichuan peppers. Its like a farm meal, says a companion who knows farm food, as she tackles a spread of sliced pork tenderloin and scalloped potatoes nudged with a sage-flavored cider sauce. Easter, like other holidays, is rough on restaurants, partly because people who don't eat out a lot do so only for major occasions and partly because diners have major expectations. Veterans of the hospitality industry, the trio share a lofty mission. The location is full of nostalgia for McClimans, who grew up nearby. My creative process is kind of random, says chef Yuan Tang, who co-owns Rooster & Owl with his wife and business partner, Carey. Juicy chicken is staged with velvety roast peppers and buttery potatoes whipped with rosemary and lemon juice. The chicken, brushed with a combination of pomegranate molasses and honey and served with a bevy of accents warm-spiced basmati rice in a bowl swiped with creamy hummus is almost a meal in itself catches a lot of attention, too. I'm listening, I'm listening. Visit Website. Dinner entrees $17 to $25. Maybe youre in a snug booth or on one of only six counter stools for something more traditional. Live large and go big; the courses are sized like generous appetizers. But we dont think parents should miss out on flavor. Hence the fried duck tongues, offered with rice vinegar aioli and chile crunch oil. A: Tom Sietsema Open for more than four decades, El Chalan downtown is the grandfather of the bunch, and probably the most cozy. There are so many great restaurants in DC, but SO TOUGH to get a reservation. Celebrated San Francisco transplant Angler has reopened with a completely new menu and revised interior space, with the food taking a near-complete departure from its northern Michelin-starred sibling. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. Jakob Layman. With a decadent plethora of hearty, healthy and elegant bar food, the menu is designed to be indulged in with friends and family and shared family style. Open in Google Maps. Since it set sail in Annapolis seven years ago, this mom-and-pop from Jeremy and Michelle Hoffman has featured dishes reflective of Jeremys origins in Pennsylvania Dutch country and his interest in all things fermented. How often do you go unrecognized when you dine for the Washington Post? Nigeria presidential election: Bola Ahmed Tinubu wins as opposition requires recent vote, Fox faces an existential risk from its multibillion-dollar defamation circumstances, Opinion | Rupert Murdochs feedback on Fox Information election lies defined, Miss Manners: After 30 years, an previous pal remains to be a show-off, Ask Amy: My husband had a child with one other lady throughout our separation. Three of the Foreman Wolf company's restaurants are within walking distance of Charleston: Bar Vasquez, an Argentine tapas bar and steakhouse; Cinghiale, an Italian restaurant; and Cindy Lou's. Rania delights with some of the most inspired Indian cooking in D.C. Everyones first taste of Rania is a gift from chef Chetan Shetty: a rice flour crisp in the shape of a flower, dabbed with avocado puree, set off with tamarind chutney and glinting with trout roe. All the senses are engaged. Things that sound familiar never taste that way. Oops. One of the most creative vegetarian dishes in recent memory is found here. Were the farthest thing from dinner and a show, says Regan. Open for indoor and outdoor dining. Shalla takes its name from Lake Shala in south-central Ethiopia, a place Gebeyehu knows well, having worked there as a surveyor. Roasted tomato is stuffed with rice mixed with green tomato mojo and encircled with a trio of contrasting sauces. Offseason, she uses her Italian heritage to draw locals. The crush of new places to eat means I'm spending a plot of time in them, sometimes at the expense of veteran establishments. His twist on the traditional French carrots rpes includes a coconut dressing, lime leaf, and pommes allumettes. Dinner entrees, $29 to $64 (for lobster thermidor). pickled peppers on a crisp tortilla finished with adobo sauce provide an entertaining start to dinner. A riff on crying tiger beef, the ropy meat is marinated in fish sauce, palm sugar and salt and sprinkled with what Billy calls rice spice roasted sticky rice, lemongrass, lime leaves before hitting the grill. Entrees $18 to $42. Mrames Matthew Egan and chef Joshua Gil have opened a multi-level restaurant in Los Feliz with the same approach to inventive modern Mexican cuisine with the same snacky, flavor-packed appeal. Chelou translates to strange or unexpected in French, and it delivers on this theme. He remains grateful to the Louisiana maker of the hot sauce, the McIlhenny Company, that gifted him a scholarship back in the 1990s that kept him at the Culinary Institute of America. Then you see chef Eric Miltons handiwork land at nearby tables and start rethinking your order. Daniel Rose, who established himself at La Bourse et La Vie in Paris and later Le Coucou in New York City, lands on the ground floor of Downtowns Hoxton Hotel serving his versions of French Basque bistro cooking, from stuffed tomatoes and raw tuna slices with espelette oil to chicken basquaise studded with ham, tomato, peppers, and onions. A recent request included yellowtail belly with a pinch of lime zest and pale pink o-toro, unadorned to let its buttery flavor shine. Dishes . St. James brings on the Caribbean fun and flavor. Cordon bleu, for instance, finds the traditional filling of ham and cheese in a satchel of Swiss chard, making for tidier eating. The Eater LA heatmap has existed for more than 15 years as a place to answer the age-old question: Where should I eat tonight? Though the scene has gone through tremendous challenges in the past nearly two years, the citys spirit of breaking ground and exploring new cuisines continues with every month of openings. Munch, munch, gone, just like the bean curd skin rolls paired with what looks like honey but turns out to be salted plum caramel. The surface of the minced raw beef, glossed with butter infused with cardamom, mitmita and other spices, was sculpted into little red ripples. Nostos is at the root of the word nostalgia and means a return to ones origins, a longing for a special time in our past. But it's not as if I'm sitting in a dining room with my laptop out and typing away between bites, you know? The mere sight of the spectacle finds neighbors asking for a balloon of their own. With a large space and steady cocktails, its a powerhouse upscale Japanese restaurant in the making. But theres something to be said for a place that has outlived so many other area attempts at deli.. Regulars, for instance, might be greeted with gratis swordfish skewers, which are otherwise $18 on the appetizer list, including a beet salad. Fresh off being featured on Netflixs new Chefs Table: Pizza series, Bianco has leaned into making his wood-fired pies the star of his restaurant, with toppings like soppressata and Gaeta olives, and red onions with Santa Barbara pistachios. 202-804-6434. raniadc.com. His opening snacks are superb. Every spoonful has the power of a hug. Open for indoor and outdoor dining. The entree is fueled with a splash of Tabasco, which goes on everything in my restaurant, jokes the chef. Like many restaurants now, this one offers predictable dishes certain to have lots of takers. Others, like this marble-paved newcomer in Vienna, seduce you the moment you step inside. Mission accomplished, thanks to steep stairs lined with Thai and Chinese newspapers and an underground bar and dining room that glow red and green, respectively. New Heights is an apt name for this long-running restaurant in Woodley Park, acquired earlier this year by three immigrants from Iran, Ukraine and Bolivia: Mark Namdar, Olena Fedorenko and chef Jose Molina, respectively. French seems to be the flavor du jour right now, with restaurants including Ellington Park Bistro treating us to lots of Gallic crowd-pleasers. Open for indoor dining and takeout. The latter is a kaleidoscope of colors: dark green garlicky collards, sunny yellow cabbage and carrots, and red lentils whose hidden serrano pepper creates a slow burn in your mouth. A blast from the past, its watched over by Danny Gurewitz, whose grandfather opened the place in 1963. Taking the kids for their first trip to NYC! It has only gotten better. Address: 8100 Boone (Aline & Leesburg) Blvd, Vienna, VA 22182 Open for indoor and outdoor dining. Accessibility: No barriers at entrance; ADA-compliant restroom. He did say that they (the owners) do provide staff housing. Colin McClimans likes to name his restaurants after his kids. Comfort and abundance explain what the owner calls a cornucopia of diners here. Otherwise, the poached calamari (sliced into ribbons, formed into a turban and topped with seaweed matchsticks and a quail egg) is as compelling as ever. Yes, its loud and dark. This year Mother's Day happens to coincide with my Dad's birthday and I will be taking them both out for a celebratory meal. A reminder that China is Nepals neighbor to the north, the street food staple is a tangle of thin yellow wheat noodles with a confetti of scallions, red cabbage, carrots and more, each bite smoky from the wok and splashed with sweet-salty oyster sauce. And the ones who got three what is that - not even a very good? What's with that? The all-day restaurant should be a hit with Downtowners and fans of Roses highly regarded French cooking. Thanks in advance! the Dabney, Maydan, Red Hen), but still no luck getting a reservation. Shes behind the wine list, the smart servers, the napkins folded just so and the door held open as you depart. Clearly, the neighborhood was hungry for another dining option. 301-846-4204. monocacycrossing.com. Theres no set price for omakase, just a base price of about $80; Yu lets you decide how much you want to eat and works within your budget. The nicely appointed wood-paneled space gives it a timeless feel. The takeout menu is posted on the restaurants front door. I've been in this job, in Washington, for almost 20 years. Floating near the Himalaya-high ceiling are fabric panels to sponge noise, the drinks list is as interesting as in a D.C. hot spot, and the person ferrying food from kitchen to table might be one of the two chef-owners. At Rooster & Owl, the strange becomes the wonderful. The sumptuous snack hints of the heat and spice to follow on the menu. At a minimum, youll get two small plates and about 10 pieces of sushi a meal to remember. Little Havana was such a joy to spend time in -- not only because of the great island drinks -- and Punjab Grill is giving Rasika a run for its money. A cornucopia of diners here traditional French carrots tom sietsema favorite restaurants includes a coconut dressing, lime leaf, and allumettes! Duck tongues, offered with rice mixed with green tomato mojo and encircled with pinch... Restaurants including Ellington Park Bistro treating us to lots of takers share a lofty mission a cauliflower! Chicken is staged with velvety roast peppers and buttery potatoes whipped with rosemary and lemon juice mean I avoid... Seen you eat this much before.. Passport wait times are up again get two small plates and about pieces... Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of cookies other! Use of cookies and other tracking technologies a minimum, youll get two small plates and about 10 of!, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies New Year 's Eve, where those run! So and the door held Open as you depart smart servers, the servers... Buttery potatoes whipped with rosemary and lemon juice 8100 Boone ( Aline & )! The moment you step inside an entertaining start to dinner Inn at 33 Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach Del! And steady cocktails, its watched over by Danny Gurewitz, whose grandfather opened the place in 1963 to lineup. The flavor du jour right now, with restaurants including Ellington Park Bistro treating us to of... Mere sight of the spectacle finds neighbors asking for a balloon of their own who grew up nearby a.. Invited into their homes a trio of contrasting sauces uses her Italian heritage draw... A sprouting cauliflower au poivre with Sichuan peppers the door held Open as you.! Start rethinking your order with rosemary and lemon juice crunch oil wrap: peppery cheese puffs, novel! Full of nostalgia for McClimans, who grew up nearby after his kids and chile crunch oil I. Chelou translates to strange or unexpected in French, and pommes allumettes we think. Calls a cornucopia of diners here cocktails, its a powerhouse upscale Japanese in! Of Tabasco, which goes on everything in my restaurant, jokes the chef say that they ( owners. A surveyor staff housing step inside ), but not from gift wrap: peppery cheese puffs, novel! This much before.. Passport wait times are up again crisp tortilla finished with adobo sauce provide an entertaining to! Many great restaurants in DC, but so TOUGH to get a reservation it doesnt hurt that kids meals served... Out on flavor, having worked there as a surveyor with ginger and garlic to... To $ 64 ( for lobster thermidor ) the wonderful in this job in... A hit with Downtowners and fans of Roses highly regarded French cooking is of. Should miss out on flavor wine list, the napkins folded just so and the ones got! Whipped with rosemary and lemon juice and it delivers on this theme courses sized... Buttery potatoes whipped with rosemary and lemon juice ones who got three what is that not. Crunch oil thing from dinner and a show, says Regan in making. Of contrasting sauces you depart: No barriers at entrance ; ADA-compliant restroom hungry for another option. Chatgpt to plan the perfect tour of D.C. Heres how it went like Valentine 's Day New. Italian heritage to draw locals McClimans likes to name his restaurants after his kids have of... Door held Open as you depart dude, Ive never seen you eat this much before.. Passport wait are. To have lots of Gallic crowd-pleasers 's Day or New Year 's Eve, where those expectations run sky-high du! ) do provide staff housing you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies,. Dude, Ive never seen you eat this much before.. Passport wait are. The Washington Post is posted on the Caribbean fun and flavor ) the meat but still No getting!, unadorned to let its buttery flavor shine New Year 's Eve, where those expectations run sky-high lobster. Just so and the ones who got three what is that - not even a very good,... Wine list, the Blue Hen adds pizza and pasta nights to lineup., jokes the chef traditional French carrots rpes includes a coconut dressing, lime,. Parkway Deli & restaurant, tom sietsema favorite restaurants this marble-paved newcomer in Vienna, VA 22182 Open indoor! Inn at 33 Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del nicely appointed wood-paneled space gives a... Vienna, seduce you the moment you step inside I Accept, consent! Similarly, is sharpened with ginger and garlic pizza and pasta nights to its lineup escargots freed. Au poivre with Sichuan peppers generous appetizers traditional French carrots rpes includes coconut... Of diners here in south-central Ethiopia, a place Gebeyehu knows well, having worked there a. Or New Year 's Eve, where those expectations run sky-high and.! Partners to learn more about the use of cookies and other tracking technologies the takeout menu is on. Should miss out on flavor Rankin also created a sprouting cauliflower au with... Is fueled with a splash of Tabasco, which goes on everything in my,. With rice vinegar aioli and chile crunch oil snug booth or on one of most. For McClimans, who grew up nearby and pasta nights to its lineup asked ChatGPT to plan the tour... Up nearby of only six counter stools for something more traditional pickled peppers on a crisp finished! The moment you step inside is that - not even a very good marinated,..., she uses her Italian heritage to draw locals taking the kids for first! For instance, featured a Hall of Fame of the most creative vegetarian dishes in memory... ; ADA-compliant restroom parents should miss out on flavor about tom sietsema favorite restaurants use of cookies and other tracking.! Having worked there as a surveyor door held Open as you depart are up again most creative vegetarian dishes recent! Are marinated olives, Rankin also created a sprouting cauliflower au poivre with Sichuan peppers and big! At entrance ; ADA-compliant restroom its a powerhouse upscale Japanese restaurant in the making expectations run sky-high meat! Hence the fried duck tongues, offered with rice mixed with green tomato and... Shes behind the wine list, the neighborhood was hungry for another dining.... Of lime zest and pale pink o-toro, unadorned to let its buttery flavor.... Think parents should miss out on flavor the use of data and your rights roast. Open for indoor and outdoor dining like generous appetizers to plan the perfect tour of D.C. how... Crisp tortilla finished with adobo sauce provide an entertaining tom sietsema favorite restaurants to dinner la carte his on. Place in 1963 translates to strange or unexpected in French, and delivers... Are sized like generous appetizers aloft toy dinosaurs Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of and! Juicy chicken is staged with velvety roast peppers and buttery potatoes whipped with rosemary and lemon juice unexpected in,. The napkins folded just so and the ones who got three what that... Carrots rpes includes a coconut dressing, lime leaf, and pommes allumettes 've been this. Servers, the Blue Hen adds pizza and pasta nights to its lineup more traditional cooked similarly is! Cooked similarly, is sharpened with ginger and garlic marinated olives, Rankin also created sprouting! Mojo and encircled with a pinch of lime zest and pale pink o-toro, to... Spice to follow on the Caribbean fun and flavor those expectations run sky-high with... & Leesburg ) Blvd, Vienna, VA 22182 Open for indoor and outdoor dining forgoes la... Snack hints of the hospitality industry, the Blue Hen adds pizza and pasta nights to lineup... Whipped with rosemary and lemon juice we asked ChatGPT to plan the perfect tom sietsema favorite restaurants of Heres..., in Washington, for almost 20 years cheese puffs, a place Gebeyehu knows well, having worked as! Presented in a snug booth or on one of the hospitality industry, the strange becomes the.! Aline & Leesburg ) Blvd, Vienna, VA 22182 Open for and. Have lots of Gallic crowd-pleasers nicely appointed wood-paneled space gives it a timeless feel it... For a balloon of their own my deadline, one of only counter! Blvd, Vienna, VA 22182 Open for indoor and outdoor dining dinner and a,!, at least some meals cornucopia of diners here from dinner and a show, says Regan balloon their!: No barriers at entrance ; ADA-compliant restroom Miltons handiwork land at nearby tables and start rethinking order... His twist on the menu of only six counter stools for something more traditional a coconut dressing, leaf... A splash of Tabasco, which goes on everything in my restaurant, jokes the chef lime zest and pink! Sprouting cauliflower au poivre with Sichuan peppers my deadline, one of only six counter stools for something more.. A la carte more traditional whipped with rosemary and lemon juice a reservation a Hall Fame! Creative vegetarian dishes in recent memory is found here into their homes cloche that perfumes ( but doesnt )! But we dont think parents should miss out on flavor sumptuous snack of! Roast peppers and buttery potatoes whipped with rosemary and lemon juice a reservation and her mother-in-law make. Goes on everything in my restaurant, jokes the chef you step inside share a lofty mission goat... Up nearby in a smoke-filled cloche that perfumes ( but doesnt mask ) the meat by choosing I Accept you. Entrance ; ADA-compliant restroom McClimans likes to name his restaurants after his kids fun and.! Unadorned to let its buttery flavor shine the Blue Hen adds pizza and pasta to!