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DINING

Top 10 places to eat in 2003
The best restaurants in town distinguish themselves with great food, a warm atmosphere and friendly, efficient staff members who care about their customers’ needs.

Aaron Flynn - Greg Alexande
Friday, January 02, 2004

OF ALL THE restaurants in metropolitan Washington, D.C., that the Blade’s two restaurant reviewers visited in 2003, the following 10 emerged as the year’s best. They range from casual and affordable neighborhood pubs to an upscale Russian restaurant housed in a renovated mansion in Dupont Circle.

 

Aaron Flynn’s Picks
David Greggory Restau-Lounge | 2030 M St., NW
· Full Review: Double your pleasure (July 18, 2003)
This newcomer is the brainchild of D.C. restaurant veterans, and it shows. The food is roundly top-notch and always inventive. You’ll find it all on your menu, and each one features a unique, handpicked lithograph. Dishes here are homespun Americana (deviled eggs!) and meals that would feel right at home in the Far East. The desserts are over-the-top with wacky names and impressive execution; one breakfast-themed sweet comes in a frying pan with a cookie that looks uncannily like bacon. Perhaps, now and again, the style overshadows the substance, but all in all it’s hard to complain.

Café Bonaparte | 1522 Wisconsin Ave., NW
· Full Review: Café Bonaparte: Ooo la la (November 07, 2003)
This coffee and crepe joint is open until 4 a.m. Needless to say, it’s unique. Red, yellow, and black with a tin-paneled ceiling, the place has a Parisian love-nest feel. It’s perfect for a relaxed and decadent weekend breakfast. And on those late-nights, the tiny place takes on a vibrant, but not hectic, atmosphere. Desserts may be the specialty of the place, but their not-so-sweet items are respectable in their own right. More than anything, Café Bonaparte has a charming personality — one trip there and you’ll know just what’s wrong with all those big-time coffeehouse chains.

Saki | 2477 18th St., NW
· Full Review: Hip dining at Saki (July 04, 2003)
It’s like this place fell out of “Blade Runner” or “A Clockwork Orange” or, maybe, the owners just really liked those movies. Either way, Saki is oh-so-chic. Here, you’ll find molded plastic chairs, a smattering of velvet, a flock of the gorgeous running around with martinis, and sushi. How could it help being anything other than hip? But it’s not all looks. Saki’s menu, while brief, doesn’t hit a sour note. The sushi is fresh and smartly done, not what you’d expect from an Adams Morgan bar. Whether you’re having dinner or just a snack, you can’t do much better than Saki.

Fin | 1200 19th St., NW
· Full Review: Fin takes seafood seriously (May 09, 2003)
Fin is a huge place by D.C. standards and yet retains a comfortable, neighborhood feel. It’s a seafood restaurant, which you can tell from the décor. But it’s not filled with hideous seashell sculptures. What’s most important, of course, is the food. It’s fresh, prepared simply with skill.

Komi | 1509 17th St., NW
· Full Review: A welcome change (December 05, 2003)
This little upstart just may be my favorite restaurant of the year. Its clean, modern interior may be just a bit too subdued, aesthetically speaking, but the food really is excellent. Innovative concoctions like seafood and fruit napoleons, halibut with black-eyed peas, and hanger steak with a cherry glaze come at prices nearly as palatable as the meals. Desserts are inventive and fun with items like cinnamon dusted donuts and Mexican hot chocolate, perfect for dipping. The wine and champagne selection may not be the largest in town, but it can boast excellent taste with none of the typical price gouging. What else could you ask for?

 

Greg Alexander’s Picks
15 ria | 1515 Rhode Island Ave., NW
· Full Review: 15 Ria shines non-stop (June 27, 2003)
15 ria’s arrival onto the dining scene resulted in a wonderful place with innovative cuisine in an inviting setting. From cocktails with silly names to the whimsical décor, 15 ria immediately puts you in a relaxed mood, and the comfortable sofas with throw pillows invite you to stay a while. The cuisine here is hard to categorize, because the menu changes regularly to offer the freshest seasonal ingredients available. It ranges from pigs in a blanket, macaroni and cheese, meat-and-two-vegetables specials to a blue cheese sirloin.

Russia House Restaurant & Lounge | 1800 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
· Full Review: Moscow on the Circle (August 22, 2003)
An elegant historic mansion in the Dupont Circle area provides the setting for Russia House, a restaurant that pairs upscale Russian fare, such as caviar, with traditional favorites such as chicken Kiev, and Russian perogis with entrees commonly found elsewhere, such as crab cakes and veal. The restaurant’s downstairs dining room is gorgeous and romantic with dark colors and beautiful lighting, while the upstairs lounge is a great place to relax before and after dinner or to spend the entire evening sipping cocktails or sampling Russia House’s renowned vodka selections. The service here is professional and friendly; the owners, accessible and welcoming.

Bistrot Lepic | 1736 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.
Like any metropolitan city, Washington, D.C., has its fair share of French restaurants offering a taste of Paris; however, if you’re looking to experience unforgettable food in an intimate environment, look no further than Bistrot Lepic. The small French eatery is a continuous favorite of Georgetown and Glover Park residents with its warm décor, consisting of sunflower-colored walls and the upstairs wine bar fitted in an Asian motif. Traditional French favorites such as duck confit, country pate, Coquilles Saint-Jacques and the restaurant’s hearty casserole are all wonderful.

Café Saint Ex | 1847 14th St., N.W.
One of the many new arrivals to the U Street corridor is Café Saint-Ex, a fun, gay-friendly bistro with an innovative theme for both the restaurant and the wildly popular downstairs lounge. Due to the owner’s love of flight, an aviation theme is used throughout, and tangerine-colored walls and a pressed tin ceiling add to the décor. The menu is straightforward with classic American fare offered for meat-lovers and vegetarians alike. Light fare and more substantial dishes are served with one of the highlights being the wonderful farfalle pasta tossed with asparagus and proscuitto, served in a sage cream sauce.

Polly’s Café | 1342 U St., N.W.
Polly’s is a quaint neighborhood eatery that has been thriving in this Northwest D.C. neighborhood for the past 10 years. Once the site of new homeowners who used the café as an escape while their homes were being renovated, the café has now become a popular place for patrons from all over D.C. to gather because of its consistently good food, fun waiters and laid-back setting. The diverse clientele at Polly’s — stop by here, where the menu is simple and appetizers are ample.

 

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