D.C. Coast

Posted on 2006/04/16 by .

D.C. Coast, web site – AVOID the web site, it will bring your browser to a halt, 1401 K Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-216-5988 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Economist | Washingtonian | The Hill | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Jeff Tunk’s place. Get the chile relleno, tuna-filled pasta, and crabcake. One of the best places in town right now. The noise can be difficult to take, however.

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Posted in DC, Downtown, Fine Dining, The Best | 2 Comments

Colvin Run Tavern — CLOSED

Posted on 2006/04/16 by .

Bob Kinkead’s Colvin Run Tavern, web site, 8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA, at Tysons, Rt.7, right behind Tiffany’s, in the same mall (Fairfax Square) with Morton’s and Gucci, 703-356-9500 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | The Hill | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Extreme Chefs | Yelp | Gayot]
This place is getting better all the time, although it had a rocky start. My last visit was superb. I suspect they have worked out the kinks, and produced one of Virginia’s best restaurants. Tom Sietsema recommends the squid and crab napoleon and the breast of squab. This is by the Kinkead’s guy, of course.

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Posted in Fine Dining, The Best, Vienna/Tysons, Virginia | 1 Comment

Kinkead’s

Posted on 2006/04/16 by .

Kinkead’s, web site, 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-296-7700 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
For seafood, formerly the best bet in town, and maybe was the best place period, but has become unpredictable, maybe because Kinkead is putting his time into his new place in Virginia (Bob Kinkead’s Colvin Run Tavern).

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Posted in DC, Downtown, Fine Dining | 1 Comment

Le Paradou

Posted on 2006/04/16 by .

Le Paradou, web site, 678 Indiana Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-347-6780 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | The Washington Diplomat | openlist | Gayot]
This is Yannick Cam’s place. I am sure it is pretty good (the lamb chops have been recommended), but lately I’ve been going to Paris a few times a year. So why should I spend my dollars here? By the time I want to go, it will be gone or otherwise in decline.

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Posted in Chinatown/Verizon Center, DC, Fine Dining | Comments Off on Le Paradou

Cafe 15/Butterfield 9 — CLOSED

Posted on 2006/04/16 by .

Cafe 15, web site, Sofitel Lafayette Square Hotel, 806 15th Street NW, Washingotn, DC, 202-737-8800 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | The Hill | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Gayot]
Update: this place is now Butterfield 9. I ate there once, and wasn’t so impressed.

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Restaurant Eve

Posted on 2006/04/16 by .

Restaurant Eve, web site, 110 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-706-0450 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | The Hill | bourrezvisage | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot] … [Chef Cathal Armstrong: Alexandria Times | Food & Wine | Don Rockwell | Meredith Stanton | Gayot]

Update May 5, 2015

Right now everybody loves this place. I went once. Every course was excellent, but somehow the whole seemed less than the sum of the parts. I was in the “tasting menu” room. The “Bacon, Cheese, and Egg” course was first-rate. But for what I paid, I didn’t come away with the same feeling of satisfaction I get from CityZen. This is certainly a restaurant to be reckoned with, but I am not yet sure if I will go back.

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Posted in Alexandria, Fine Dining, Virginia | Comments Off on Restaurant Eve

Taberna del Alabardero

Posted on 2006/04/16 by .

Taberna del Alabardero, web site, 1776 Eye Street NW, Washington, DC, entrance on 18th Street, 202-429-2200, opens at 6:00 (affiliated with a Spanish restaurant group, Grupo Lezama) (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Very yummy. They often have regional specialties cooked by visiting chefs. A superior dining experience. Not cheap, but the price is high for a good reason. Good paella. Stuffier than it needs to be, but often I feel this is the very best place in town right now. It has shown a remarkably ability to reinvent itself when needed.

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Posted in DC, Downtown, Fine Dining, The Best | 1 Comment

Gerard’s

Posted on 2006/04/16 by .

Gerard’s, web site, 915 15th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-737-4445 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | wcities | Gayot]
Update June 8, 2008: See Gerard Pangaud Bistro.
This place is accused of being inconsistent, so make sure Gerard is cooking that night. If so, it is phenomenal. Get the sweetbreads, the duck (or maybe the lobster, but $58 there), and the brioche. This meal will blow you away. Not cheap, but at its peak one of the two or three best places in this area, along with CityZen and the Inn at Little Washington. Did I mention that Gerard ran a Michelin two-star back in France? Sadly, the décor of this place is ugly, but I don’t care.

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Posted in DC, Downtown, Fine Dining, The Best | Comments Off on Gerard’s

Inn at Little Washington

Posted on 2006/04/16 by .

Inn at Little Washington, web site, 309 Middle Street (Middle and Main Streets), Washington, VA, 540-675-3800 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Mobil | Economist | Forbes | Donna Reiss | Washingtonian | WaPo | food-plan | openlist | Gayot]
$100 and up for the fixed price meal , and that is not counting wine. But one of the best restaurants in North America. It’s about a seventy minute drive from Falls Church, but a pleasant one. Get the Tuna with Foie Gras on top. Or the Veal with Sweetbreads. Those are the two best entrees. Reservations of course required, but a relatively relaxed atmosphere and a nice dining room.

. . .

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Posted in Fine Dining, Front Royal, The Best, Virginia | 2 Comments

China Gourmet – Szechuan Boy – Closed

Posted on 2006/04/15 by .

China Gourmet (the new Chinese name may be Szechuan Boy), 9901 Lee Hwy, Fairfax, VA, 703-293-9898 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Chowhound | Washingtonian | WaPo | Don Rockwell]
Update August 13, 2006: China Gourmet is closed.
Update, May 15, 2006: Peter Chang has now left China Gourmet and his whole new Sichuan menu is gone…a new chef has some sichuan dishes, including good rabbit, but it is not the same restaurant.
Run by the prize-winning chef who used to run Tempt Asian and before that China Star.
Get the special Szechuan menu, twice cooked pork and #3 on the main dishes menu, fish and tofu.
A new favorite.

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Posted in Chinese, Fairfax, The Best, Virginia | 1 Comment