World City Guide

Restaurants

Washington is a culinary adventure with just about every type of restaurant imaginable. It is said that the best Ethiopian food in the country is available in the Adams Morgan neighbourhood; downtown Washington has peerless Indian fare; while Asian, Mexican, regional American specialities and whatever else pleases the palate can easily be found within the city limits.

Restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.

Sales tax of 10% is added to all restaurant bills in Washington, DC. A service charge is normally added for parties of six or more. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and a bottle of house wine or equivalent. They do not include sales tax or service charge.

Gastronomic

Galileo
In a city where chefs are celebrities, Roberto Donna reigns supreme. This elegant Foggy Bottom restaurant shows why – the food, inspired by his native Piedmont, is unlike anything else in town. The tasting menu lets diners eat like an Italian, starting with an antipasto, moving on to a pasta, like flat spaghetti served with lobster and tomato ragu, and culminating in an entre like roasted quail stuffed with chicken black truffle mousse. Diners can eat on the plant-filled terrace or in the dining room, which is graced by sweeping arches, or a lucky few can dine in the kitchen dining room.

1110 21st Street, NW
Tel: (202) 293 7191. Fax: (202) 331 9364.
Website: www.galileodc.com
Price: US$55, four course prix fixe US$75. Wine: US$22.

Red Sage
The Santa Fe-style cooking of this award-winning downtown restaurant knocked DC on its ear. Diners were used to tacos, but nothing as flavourful as the salmon wrapped in spinach tortillas that are found on the menu in the fun and funky upstairs Border Caf. The downstairs grill is more serious, serving entres like roasted pecan-crusted chicken breast in a smoked chilli-honey glaze. The weekly changing dessert menu includes homemade sorbets, the most popular being coconut and pomegranate.

605 14th Street, NW
Tel: (202) 638 4444. Fax: (202) 628 8430.
Website: www.redsage.com
Price: US$45 for the Border Caf and US$57 at The Grill. Wine: US$28.

Restaurant Nora
In a dining room hung with vintage quilts, diners will find some of the city’s most creative dishes. And somehow restaurateur Nora Pouillon does it while making sure that everything (even the poached pear with pistachio ice cream and poppyseed cone) is organic. The menu changes daily but you can’t go wrong with the miso soup or any of the seafood main courses. Those who are unable to get in at this Dupont Circle favourite can try Asian Nora on the edge of Georgetown.

Restaurant Nora, 2132 Florida Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 462 5143. Fax: (202) 462 0762.
Website: www.noras.com

Asia Nora, 2213 M Street, NW
Tel: (202) 797 4860.
Website: www.noras.com

Price: US$50, Prix Fixe US$58 and US$64. Wine: US$32.

Two Quail
The most romantic restaurant in town, Two Quail is something of an anomaly on buttoned-down Capitol Hill. Every table seems to be in its own little nook, giving diners the feeling they are in a private dining room. Menus change seasonally but sometimes, gastronomic treats like mushrooms stuffed with lump crab or lamb chops stuffed with goat cheese, basil, olives and tomatoes are on it. Main courses are served on plates that do not match, but that is part of the eclectic charm.

320 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Tel: (202) 543 8030. Fax: (202) 543 8035.
Website: twoquail.com
Price: US$39. Wine: US$24.

Vidalia
Named after a type of onion so sweet it can be eaten like an apple, Vidalia makes sure that this unique vegetable figures prominently on the menu. The kitchen specializes in Southern fare, so diners should not miss out on the braised duck breast, roasted sweetbreads or, one of the best offerings on the menu, shrimp and grits. The magnolia walls of this newly renovated, warm and cosy Dupont Circle eating place give diners the feeling they are eating in the kitchen of an pre-civil war mansion. The restaurant also has added a comfortable wine bar and offers a large selection of wines, both by the bottle and the glass.

1990 M Street, NW
Tel: (202) 659 1990. Fax: (202) 223 8572.
Website: www.vidaliadc.com
Price: US$45. Wine: US$20.

Willard Room
Early 20th century decor, a multitude of greenery, crystal chandeliers, oak panelling and the two-storey ceilings of the award-winning Willard Room set some of the scenes of the film, Minority Report. Impeccable service accompanies elegantly presented courses such as the sauted filet mignon served on a polenta cake with Portabello mushrooms and foie gras jus.

1401 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 637 7440. Fax: (202) 637 7326.
Website: www.washington.interconti.com
Price: US$58. Wine: US$34.

Business

Bombay Club
Walking through the door of this elegant restaurant is like entering an E M Forster novel. Lazily turning ceiling fans and potted palms call to mind a colonial-era terrace in India. Diners can sample delicious nan breads as they peruse the menu, which includes classics like spice-rubbed scallops and tandoori salmon.

815 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 659 3727. Fax: (202) 659 5012.
Website: www.bombayclubdc.com
Price: US$32.50. Wine: US$29.

Georgia Brown’s
Although it was once considered a southern city, Washington has lost its accent. The countrified Georgia Brown’s restores some of that telltale twang with fried chicken gizzards, catfish fingers and flavoursome gumbo combining shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage. For dessert, the bourbon pecan pie is highly recommended. Live jazz pulsates during Sunday brunch.

950 15th Street, NW
Tel: (202) 393 4499. Fax: (202) 393 7134.
Website: www.gbrowns.com
Price: US$30. Wine: US$24.

Les Halles
This sprawling brasserie, located on the city’s most famous thoroughfare, serves up traditional French fare with a modern American flair, meaning gargantuan portions. Diners could start with a frise aux lardons (greens with chunks of bacon) and then move on to the city’s best steak-frites. Particularly recommended is eating on the terrace facing Pennsylvania Avenue or in the oak-panelled dining room. Cigar aficionados will be glad to know about the lounge section reserved for stogies (regular cigars) and the once-a-month dinner cigar dinner with free cigars.

1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 347 6848. Fax: (202) 347 6911.
Website: www.leshalles.net
Price: US$35, prix fixe cigar dinner US$45-50. Wine: US$22.

Occidental Grill
Housed in the Willard Inter-Continental, this 100-year-old, august establishment is a favourite of DC’s power brokers. The decor (plush banquettes and dark wood panelling) resembles one of the men’s clubs that used to dot the city. It is known for its filet mignon medallions and its crab cakes.

1475 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 783 1475. Fax: (202) 783 1478.
Website: www.occidentaldc.com
Price: US$60. Wine: US$28.

Old Ebbitt Grill
Situated around the corner from the White House, this comfortable little pub with lots of dark wood and polished brass has served presidents since 1856. The food is not what one would find at a State dinner, however. Visitors come for the humongous hamburgers or belly up to the oyster bar for some of the best bivalves this side of Baltimore.

675 15th Street, NW
Tel: (202) 347 4800. Fax: (202) 347 6136.
Website: www.ebbitt.com
Price: US$33. Wine: US$18.

Sea Catch and Raw Bar
Though landlubbers can take pleasure in the cuisine at this Georgetown venue that overlooks the C&O Canal, seafood lovers will enjoy it more. Sea Catch’s crab cakes are the best you fill find around here, although the seared scallops with spinach and bacon are right up there, too. Friendly service complements the comfortable setting - brick walls, beamed ceiling, fireplaces and a white carrera-marble raw bar.

1054 31st Street
Tel: (202) 337 8855. Fax: (202) 337 7159.
Website: www.seacatchrestaurant.com
Price: US$38. Wine: US$20.

Trendy

Ivy's Place
This neighbourhood restaurant is so popular that locals sometimes have to wait for all the out-of-towners to finish before they can sit down to the fresh, flavourful Indonesian fare. The real bargain here is the tasty lumpia (a Filipino fried egg roll with minced chicken), which is just US$0.95. This tiny Cleveland Park eating place, enlivened with brightly coloured walls, is known for its beef rendang, which features succulent meat in a hearty coconut sauce.

3520 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 363 7802.
Price: US$23. Wine: US$14.

Lavandou
French fare tends to be fussy, but not at this affable bistro in Cleveland Park. The sunny dining room is more Provence than Paris, and the grilled fish dishes shine. Diners are recommended to save room for dessert, because here they will find the city’s best crme brle.

3321 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 966 3002. Fax: (202) 966 0982.
Website: www.lavandourestaurant.net
Price: US$33. Wine: US$24.

Meskerem
The streets of Adams Morgan are lined with Ethiopian eateries, but none as enjoyable as this one. Diners can sit cross-legged on the floor and tear off little pieces of injera (sour-dough pancakes) with which they can sample a wide range of chicken, lamb and vegetable stews. Guests should not forget to sample the homemade honey wine.

2434 18th Street, NW
Tel: (202) 462 4100.
Price: US$25. Wine: US$14.

Zaytinya
The Mediterranean cuisine at the new Zaytinya excels. In fact, with the multitude of wonderful appetisers, like havu kftesi (carrot, apricot and pine nut fritters with pistachio sauce), one just might never make it to the main course. Save room for Turkish delight, a walnut ice cream creation with, among other things, caramelised pine nuts. The decor is simple. Huge windows and white walls accented with lilac surround wood tables with white linens. It is quite popular so it is not always the quietest place to be.

701 9th Street NW
Tel: (202) 638 0800.
Website: www.zaytinya.com
Price: US$28. Wine: US$22.

Budget

Ben’s Chili Bowl
The sign over the grill says ‘Home of the Famous Chili Dog’ which should give a clue as to what to order at this recently expanded eatery. Formica counters lined with red vinyl barstools are what might be called decor, but then again, posh interior design is not the reason why patrons like comedian Billy Cosby frequent it.

1213 U Street, NW
Tel: (202) 667 0909.
Website: www.benschilibowl.com
Price: US$8.50. Unlicensed.

Coppi’s
Because they are baked in a wood-burning oven, many of the organic main courses at this eatery have an irresistible smoky flavour. Most popular are the thin, crispy-crusted pizzas, but the traditional Ligurian pastas are really good, too. Diners can start with a mixed salad topped with slivers of Parmesan. The decor (vintage photos of bicycle races) is unusual, to say the least.

1414 U Street, NW
Tel: (202) 319 7773.
Price: US$25. Wine: US$29.

Mama Ayesha's
Washington’s movers and shakers crowd the simple dining room of this long-time favourite in Adams Morgan. Why? Because Middle Eastern fare does not get better than this. One particularly good dish is the kifta kebab, which is spiced ground lamb cooked slowly over a charcoal fire.

1967 Calvert Street, NW
Tel: (202) 232 5431.
Website: www.mamaayeshas.com
Price: US$17. Wine: US$18.

Pizzeria Paradiso
Diners are sure to see the mural of the deep blue sky over this Dupont Circle pizzeria’s dining room, as one bite will have them rolling your eyes heavenward. Whether the choice is a traditional favourite, such as quattro formaggi (four cheeses), or the popular Atomica (tomato, salami, black olives) or Bosco (tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach and red onion) pizza. The thin, crunchy crust is always a winner.

2029 P Street, NW
Tel: (202) 223 1245.
Price: US$17. Wine: US$14.

Spy City Cafe
Everything except the food is spy-related in this casual restaurant adjacent to the International Spy Museum. Its modern decor, which consists of maps of DC spy sites, provides navigation points and allows diners to test their spy IQ. Food is prepared fresh daily including delicious meat lasagne, salads, sushi and sandwiches. Also featured are unique soft drinks such as ginger beer, cherry soda and cream soda.

9th and F Streets
Tel: (202) 654 0995. Fax (202) 654 0994.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0800 to 1600, Sat-Sun 1000-1700.
Website: www.spymuseum.org/dine/spycitycafe.asp
Price: US$8. Unlicenced.

Tastee Diner
The last of a dying breed, this ’50s-era diner serves up traditional fare such as burgers, fries and the frostiest milkshakes in town. Everyone should save room for dessert, which is apple pie la mode. Tastee Diner has located in Bethesda, Silver Spring and Laurel just north of the city.

7731 Woodmont, Bethesda, MD
Tel: (301) 652 3970. Fax (301) 652 0767.
Website: www.tasteediner.com
Price: US$14. Unlicenced.

118 Washington Boulevard, Laurel, MD
Tel: (301) 953 7567.

8601 Cameron Street, Silver Spring, MD
Tel: (301) 589 8171.

Teaism
The one thing that probably cannot be ordered here is a simple cup of tea. These chic, sleek teahouses in Dupont Circle, Penn Quarter and Lafayette Square serve more than two-dozen different types in their minimalist dining rooms. For hungry diners, there are a small but satisfying variety of meals ranging from curries to traditional bento boxes to ochazuke, a tea and rice soup.

Dupont Circle – 2009 R Street, NW
Tel: (202) 667 3827 or (888) 8TEAISM (883 2476).

Penn Quarter – 400 8th Street, NW
Tel: (202) 638 6010 or (888) 8TEAISM.

Lafayette Square – 800 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 835 2233 or (888) 8TEAISM.
Website: www.teaism.com
Price: US$16. Wine: US$26.40 Tea: US$2.75.

Personal Recommendations

City Lights of China
The premises are hardly prepossessing (cramped tables set against mint green walls) but people crowd into this Dupont Circle eating place for unequalled Chinese fare. Sauces are light, meats are tender and vegetables are crisp and flavourful. Highlights include dishes such as steamed dumplings, beef with snow peas or lamb with scallions.

1731 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 265 6688. Fax: (202) 265 1369.
Website: www.citylightsofchina.com
Price: US$20. Wine: US$20.

Grill from Ipanema
The fake palm trees in the dining room might seem like something of a joke but this Brazilian hangout in hip and happening Adams Morgan takes its food seriously. Diners can down an extremely strong caipirinha (the Brazilian national drink, made with fermented sugar cane) before moving on to delicious grilled fish or seafood stews sweetened with coconut milk.

1858 Columbia Road, NW
Tel: (202) 986 0757.
Website: www.thegrillfromipanema.com
Price: US$28. Wine: US$20.

Lebanese Taverna
A vaulted ceiling and a trio of arched windows make this one of the loveliest dining rooms in Woodley Park, although other locations are scattered in Virginia and Maryland. Diners can also opt to eat outside under one of the massive green umbrellas. Everyone starts with a mezza, a plate of appetizers so massive it might make a meal in itself. Quite popular is the kibbeh, a pastry shell stuffed with lamb and nuts.

2641 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Tel: (202) 265 8681. Fax: (202) 483 3007.
Website: www.lebanesetaverna.com
Price: US$29. Wine: US$19.

Polly’s
It’s hard to imagine a cosier spot than this laid-back basement bar near Dupont Circle – the staff are affable, the music comes from a jukebox and the fireplace casts a warm glow over the Capitol Hill staffers and downtown hipsters that make it their hangout. The food is mostly burgers and such, but the selection of beers on tap is astounding. People flock here at weekends for one of the cheapest brunches in town.

1342 U Street, NW
Tel: (202) 265 8385.
Price: US$17. Wine: US$10.

Tony Cheng’s
Facing the ornate arch in Chinatown, this dragon-festooned favourite is actually two restaurants in one. Downstairs is the Mongolian grill, where guests can choose their entre and watch the chefs cook it over an open flame. Upstairs the rows of aquariums let diners know that the specialty of the house is seafood. You could not do better than to visit on a weekend morning, when smiling waitresses roll out carts of the finest dim sum in town.

619 H Street, NW
Tel: (202) 371 8669, downstairs Mongolian grill (202) 842 8669.
Price: US$25. Wine: US$19.