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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.
· 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.
· 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.
· 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.
· 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.
· 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?
· 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.
· 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.
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.
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 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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