The details are in the dishes, not the decor, at this local favorite: even the bread is delicious, and the rockfish with vegetables and sherry-butter sauce is a work of art.
The simple falafel is experiencing a heyday, and this tiny shop is a clear indication why. Experiment with toppings: turmeric-tinged cabbage and jalapeño-fueled herb sauce are delicious options.
Old-world decor and hearty yet elegant Belgian cooking make this restaurant one of D.C.'s hotspots. Take advantage of the "beer sommelier" when attempting to pair a drink with your duck liver parfait.
Bill Clinton and Maureen Dowd are frequent patrons of the best Indian restaurant in the city. The mango shrimp or duck treated to a luscious sauce of cashew paste, saffron, and mace is your best bet.
Ask for a table near the bustling, open kitchen, and watch the expert French chefs create your luscious lobster burger or hanger steak with the city's best frites.
Traditional dishes like the herb-encrusted lamb satisfy, while whimsical baits-and-switches ("pasta" created from snow peas, "caviar" created from pasta) will thrill you. A truly magical experience.
Inexpensive, pristine sushi will lure you in (make sure to try the homemade soy sauce); for heavier fare, kamameshi, a luscious rice casserole with chicken, veggies, or eel will satisfy your cravings.
The formidable wine list is among Washington’s best. What to get: Japanese hamachi with green-apple mustard; olive-oil-poached cod with pipérade jus; braised halibut in Arbois wine sauce.
Walking by the fish market up front you’ll likely get a sense of what will be on the menu from the ice beds holding super-sweet Nantucket bay scallops or a bountiful array of oysters.
