Restaurant-Dining Critiques

In the case that you may be attending the Inauguration or just happen to be visiting Washington D.C.; following are a few restaurant suggestions located in and around the vicinity of Washington DC that you might give a try in between the numerous parties and balls. I know how hectic it gets as I had the opportunity to attend the festivities for the Inauguration of President Ronald Reagan and Vice President George Bush in 1984.
President-elect Obama has been too busy barnstorming for the last two years, grabbing a cheeseburger here and a bowl of chili there. Now, that he will be settling down at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, presumably for at least four years, we will see how much of a selective diner he is or is not. Any bets on which it will be?

In any case, I certainly hope that he will implement the suggestion by Alice Waters, Ruth Reichl and Danny Meyer to form a “Kitchen Cabinet”. I hope that the following quote from Ms Waters is even vaguely correct when according to her, “I think that this is an unusual president. I think it’s somebody who cares about what he eats and what his family eats, somebody who understands the issues of obesity and understands the issues of the environment.”

Bistro Français
3128 M Street NW Washington, DC 20007-3704
Te. 202.338.3830
Fax. 202.338.1421
Opening Hours: Fri-Sat 11 am-4 am  Sun-Thu 11 am-3 am
Dress Code: Casual
Reservations: Not needed
Open Late
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate
Game in season
This Georgetown landmark, which dates back to the bistro boom of the 1970s, has a lot of competition from the area’s informal French restaurants, but it remains a good dining value.  Best bet for good late-night dining in DC. Roast pigeon, rabbit with mustard sauce, Dover sole (at a fair price), chicken tarragon

Bistrot Lepic
1736 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC
(202) 333-0111
Opening Hours: Lunch:
Tue-Sun 11:30 am-2:30 pm
Dinner:
Tue-Thu 5-10 pm
Fri-Sat 5-10:30 pm
Sun 5-9:30 pm
Closed Mondays.
Dress Code: Casual for the Wine Bar and casual business attire for the regular restaurant downstairs.
Parking: none. Park at 34th and Wisconsin, there is usually parking down 34th St.
Reservations: Recommended; Wine bar: On a first-come first-serve basis.
Smoking: Allowed in the wine bar
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate

Bistrot du Coin
1738 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
Tel. 202-234-6969
Website: www.bistrotducoin.com
Cuisines: French
Opening Hours: every day except Labor Day
Nearby Metro Stops: Dupont Circle
Price Range: Moderate
Dress: Informal
Noise Level: Raucous
Reservations: Recommended

At lunch, Bistrot du Coin is a relaxed place to go and you can take your time deciding what to have over a glass of wine. At night, however, stools at the zinc bar are hard to come by, and the noise levels go up. On the other hand, so does the energy and the customers become electrically charged and the emphasis is definitely on the bar more than the restaurant side. It morphs into a Dupont Circle neighborhood bar as drink prices are very reasonable.
This is as much a Dupont Circle neighborhood bar as it is a restaurant. The wine list, offers a variety of French reds and whites at fair prices.

Indeed, due to the enormous bar turnover it has affected the consistency of some of the menus dishes. To dine properly stick to items as the consistently good onion soup; the rump-steak and fries and the daily specials.

Cafe MoZU
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
1330 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA
Tel. (202) 787 6868
Opening Hours:
Breakfast: Mon-Fri: 6:30am-11:30am; Sat & Sun: 7am-11:30am
Sunday Brunch: 11:30am-3pm
Lunch: Mon-Sat: 11:30am-5:30pm; Sun: 2pm-5:30pm
Dinner: 5:30pm-10:30pm, Daily
Executive Chef: Anthony Reynolds
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive

Cafe Renaissance
163 Glyndon Street, SE
Vienna, VA 22180
Tel. 703-938-3311
Website: www.caferenaissance.com
Opening Hours: Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30 – 2:30; Dinner: Mon – Sat 5:00 – 10:00; Sun 5:00
Dress Code: Business casual to formal
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive
Reservations Accepted. Reservations Recommended. Full Bar on Site. Beer/Wine Served. No Smoking. Banquet Facilities.
Located in the heart of downtown Vienna, Virginia
From Beltway, take south 123 & drive 4 minutes. After Giant Food, left turn onto Glyndon Street. The restaurant is on the right hand side.

Cafe Soleil
839 17th St. NW
Washington, DC 20006
Tel. 202·974·4260
Fax. 202·463·6262
Website: www.cafesoleil.net
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 7:00am – 10:00pm · Sat & Sun 8:00am – 10:00pm
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Dress Code: Casual
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate
Wine List: Half-French and half-Californian
Innovative Bistro Cuisine

Capital Grille
601 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004 (6th and Pennsylvania)
Tel. 202-737-6200
Opening Hours: Lunch
Mon – Sat: 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.; Dinner: Sun – Thurs: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.; Fri – Sat: 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Cuisine: New York Steakhouse
Dress Code: Business attire; dressy
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive
Mahogany woodwork, leather furniture, open kitchen, extensive wine list

Citronelle
3000 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Tel. (202) 625-2150
Website: www.citronelledc.com
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs: 6-10pm; Fri 7 Sat 6-10:30pm; Sun 6-9:30pm
Cuisine: French
Dress Code: No sports-wear, denim, sneakers/ateletic shoes; Jacket required for dinner
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Very Expensive
Michel Richard & Citronelle has been honored with: “Best Chef of the Year” “Best Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year” by Capital Restaurant and Hospitality, a double award never before achieved. Conde Nast Traveller “One of the World’s Most Exciting Restaurants” and the James Beard Award among many others.
Citronelle is situated in the Latham Hotel.

CityZen
1330 Maryland Ave. SW
SW Washington
202-787-6006
Very Expensive
www.mandarinoriental.com

A veteran of the French Laundry in Napa Valley, Eric Ziebold arrived at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in 2004. His cooking pays attention to minute details. The Tony Chi-designed setting, with its warm lighting and soothing color scheme, is every bit as intriguing as what comes from the kitchen.

Ici Urban Bistro
806 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20005
Tel. (202) 730-8700
Website: www.iciurbanbistro.com
Opening Hours: Breakfast: Mon-Fri: 6:30-10am, Sat-Sun 7 – 10:30am; Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:30am – 2pm; Dinner: Daily 6-10 pm
Dress Code: Upscale casual
Cuisine: French contemporary
Executive Chef: Philippe Piel
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive

Both iCi Urban Bistro and Le Bar are located near the White House, Smithsonian, and other renowned monuments.
Choose your exclusive selection of petits plats like mini Croque Monsieurs with béchamel and sweet potato frites with Roquefort dip. Savor wild Chesapeake Bay Rockfish or mussels in white wine. For the piéce de résistance, pastry chef Jerome Colin recommends an apple tarte Tatin with rosemary ice cream to share. Kent

Central
1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Tel. 202-626-0015
Website: www.centralmichelrichard.com
Cuisines: French, American, Modern
Opening Hours:
Mon – Thu: Evening: 05:30 PM – 10:30 PM
Mon – Fri: Afternoon: 11:30 AM – 02:30 PM
Fri & Sat: Evening: 05:30 PM – 11:00 PM
Sun: Evening: 05:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Cuisine: Stylized American comfort food such as fried chicken, hamburger, mac and cheese as translated by an haute cuisine French chef.
Nearby Metro Stops:
Federal Triangle, Metro Center
Dress: Upscale Casual
Reservations: Recommended
Parking: Valet
Credit Cards: All Major
Price Range: Expensive

The informal restaurant attracts the full spectrum of Washington diners; political figures, international celebrities, foodies who cannot afford to pay Richard’s very expensive prices at Citronelle.
Good choices are: freshly shucked West Coast oysters, plump asparagus in a tarragon vinaigrette (in season), an elegant mussel chowder, lobster-claw meat bound in a scallop mousse and served in a butter-topped bun, “72-hour short ribs” cooked for three days, an intense dark chocolate mousse topped with miniature cocoa puffs, a $29 lobster burger.
The wine list is good as is the wine-by-the-glass list.

Kinkead’s
2000 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington DC 20006-1812
Tel. 202 296 7700
Website: www.kinkead.com
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: Lunch: 11:30 am-2:30 pm, Dinner: 5:30-10 pm; Sat-Sun 5:30-10 pm
Cuisine: American, Seafood Restaurant
Reservations: Strongly recommended
Dress Code: Casual
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate
Menu changes daily, valet parking, outdoor seating, live entertainment: Jazz

Le Chat Noir
4907 Wisconsin Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20016
Tel. 202-244-2044
Opening Hours: Mon – Thurs 11:30 am-10:00 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am-11:00 pm
Sun 11:30 am-10:00 pm
Cuisine: French with a large assortment off crepes
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate
A touch of France in Friendship Heights

Sake Club
2635 Connecticut Ave.NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel. 202-332-2711
Website: www.sakeclub.net
Opening Hours: Lunch: Mon – Sat: 11:30am – 2:30pm
Dinner: Mon – Thurs: 5:00pm -10:30pm
Fri & Sat: 5:00pm -11:00pm
Sunday: 5:00pm- 10:00pm
Late Night(Bar): Thursday: 10:30pm – 1:00am
Friday & Saturday: 11:00pm -1:00am
Dress Code: Casual business attire
Cuisine: Japanese; Sushi Bar; Tapas
Executive Chef: Koji Yoshida
Wine List: Extensive selection of Sake
Credit Cards: Amex, Visa, MC
Prices: Expensive
Take Out. Outdoor Dining. Full Bar. Beer/Wine Served. Happy Hour. No Smoking. Banquet Facilities, the bar/sushi bar is very active and fun.

Brasserie Beck
1101 K St., NW Washington, DC
Tel. (202) 408-1717
Website: www.becdc.com
Opening  Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-5pm; Dinner Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight, Brunch Sun-11:30am-8pm
Parking: Valet available in the evenings
Prices: Moderate
Recently opened by Chef Robert Wiedmaier is a large brasserie that resembles a train station with a raw bar and Coq au Vin, Duck Confit with Potatoes cooked in a duck sauce with fried leeks and spinach. Choucroute “En croute”, Chicken Waterzooie and Coq au Vin. Good selection of Belgian beers, each served in its own unique glass, and a moderately priced wine list.