 ashington dining may specialize in the formal
(read: stuffy), but the best bites inside the Beltway
aren’t all served on starched tablecloths. This
month we share our newest dining discoveries,
discuss what’s hot (Eric Ripert, anyone?), and
what’s downright delicious (our latest addiction:
Hudson’s pomegranate caipirinha).
Did someone mention Eric Ripert? Excuse us while we hyperventilate.The silver-haired, three-star Michelin dreamboat, er, we mean chef, has landed in the capital to open |
Westend Bistro |
at the Ritz-Carlton,Washington D.C.
(1190 22nd St. NW).
Headed by chef de cuisine Leonardo Marino
(formerly of NYC’s Le Bernadin) the menu
features casual Franco-American fare such as
raw oysters, fish burgers with fennel and saffron
aioli, and skate in brown butter sauce.
Also joining the celeb chef scene this fall
is two-in-one lounge and restaurant |
The Source by Wolfgang Puck |
| (575
Pennsylvania Ave. NW). Executive chef Scott
Drewno, a veteran of Spago and Chinois on
Main, offers classically Puckish Asian-inspired
fare: there is a casual menu in the lounge (Kobe
beef sliders and pizzas), and formal dining
upstairs (try the blue crab and shrimp siu mai
dumplings or Assam prawns with fresh curry).
In the category of B.L.R.W. (bar/lounge/
restaurant/whatever) comes Mel Estrin’s |
Hudson |
(2030 M St. NW). Located in the former David
Greggory space in Dupont Circle, this sleek spot
serves food morning, noon and practically all
night. Matzoh ball soup, fried chicken and other
down home dishes are comforting, but their
artfully-crafted cocktails are the true headliners:
the 80-calorie Lo-jito provides a fruity slurp with
minimal guilt, while the pomegranate caipirinha
offers a sexy ruby red blend of tart and sweet.
Speaking of drinks, cozy
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| Veritas |
(2031
Florida Ave. NW) is a welcome addition to
the Dupont Circle neighborhood. It offers an
eye-boggling list of wines by the glass or
bottle, though we prefer the more imaginative
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| listings like “backpacking in Italy,” which
features a taste of three Italian reds. Of course,
it’s not a true oenophile experience without
fine fromage, and while you won’t win any
points from your cardiologist by dining here,
the selection of cheeses – mostly imported –
ensures a delicious interlude. If you’re in the
mood for homey, not haute – and really, who
doesn’t have those moments? – the new |
| Veritas |
(2031
Florida Ave. NW) is a welcome addition to
the Dupont Circle neighborhood. It offers an
eye-boggling list of wines by the glass or
bottle, though we prefer the more imaginative
listings like “backpacking in Italy,” which
features a taste of three Italian reds. Of course,
it’s not a true oenophile experience without
fine fromage, and while you won’t win any
points from your cardiologist by dining here,
the selection of cheeses – mostly imported –
ensures a delicious interlude. If you’re in the
mood for homey, not haute – and really, who
doesn’t have those moments? – the new |
 |
| Stone’s Throw |
| restaurant (2660 Woodley
Rd. NW) grills up some butter-soft prime cuts of
beef. Fresh from a multi-million dollar renovation,
the Marriott Woodley Park’s dining mainstay
could still use a visit from Gordon Ramsey’s
Kitchen Nightmares. On a recent visit, our table
overlooked the American Bar Association’s annual
convention – but the menu’s classic steakhouse
fare is faultlessly prepared. The key here is to keep
it simple – skip the fancy foïe gras and carpaccio
and head straight for the grilled rib eye served
juicy and pink, washed down with an icy vodka
martini. |
Have any comments or dining suggestions? Email
WL at: columns@washingtonlife.com.
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TURKEY AND EGGNOG
ARE SO PASSÉ
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GAME ON!
Tuck into roasted elk, seared
venison loin and other wild beasts
with Butterfield 9’s (600 14th
St. NW) game tasting menu.
GO DOURO
Offer your hostess a bottle of plummy
and soft Portuguese Douro red wine
from Calvert Woodley Wines and
Spirits (4339 Connecticut Ave. NW).
SICHUAN DREAMS
Who needs yuletide cheer when
you’ve got Hong Kong Palace (6387 Seven Corner Center, Falls Church, Va.).
The fiery Chinese Sichuan cuisine is
guaranteed to raise endorphin levels.
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BUY LOCAL
Roast a locally grown
free-range turkey or slice into a
pasture-raised ham from Maple
Lawn Farms in Fulton,
Md., or Smith Meadows
Farm in Berryville, Va.
STEAK AND SCENE
Book a holiday booth
at the newly renovated
and enlarged power
dining hotspot, The Palm
(1225 19th St. NW).
Looking for a new red for the holiday table? Try a Portuguese |
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