DonRocks Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Well, the Washingtonian's 2016 list has Rasika at #5, so it's not just Tom. I didn't say "rated highly"; I said "made." Now *lots* of people rate it highly, including national publications who might not have even been there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lion Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Totally agree. I love the place. I just don't understand how it makes it in the 1 - 5 list every year. Wonder if I'm missing something, too. I think based on this place alone, he starts the Washington DC/Food cities article with "A surprise only to those who haven't tried it, the finest Indian food in the country seduce with its spices in a city that's home to just over 650,000 residents". How is that even for real? You go to Devon Ave in Chicago, and you have 5 places within a city block that are better than most of the places in town here. It's very strange. Even my non Desi friends in Chicago go to Devon Street for Indian food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyfood Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Apologies for veering off topic, but I, too, have never understood Tom's love of Jaleo. Had a number of mediocre meals there. Dinner at Estadio last night was fantastic--as usual. Never had a bad meal at Rasika either, though I would appreciate it they had SOME truly spicy dishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deac Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 I've only had great meals at Jaleo and Rasika, but Tom's fluffing does get overbearing at times. And he definitely has a close relationship with Jose Andres, see here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I've only had great meals at Jaleo and Rasika, but Tom's fluffing does get overbearing at times. And he definitely has a close relationship with Jose Andres, see here. I don't really need to picture Tom fluffing Jose. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creole7 Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 I must be missing something also. I've been to Rasika five times, and the only dish that "blew me away" was the palak chaat. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 I must be missing something also. I've been to Rasika five times, and the only dish that "blew me away" was the palak chaat. The lamb xacuti I had last night at the West End location was a perfectly fine, perfectly ordinary curry that was executed on a level I could have found at a half dozen (or more) other, less heralded Indian restaurants in the area. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 The lamb xacuti I had last night at the West End location was a perfectly fine, perfectly ordinary curry that was executed on a level I could have found at a half dozen (or more) other, less heralded Indian restaurants in the area. I've found at Rasika that ordering curries that sound similar to what you can get at other Indian restaurants resulted in getting fairly ordinary curries. Since then, I've only ordered the more interesting sounding dishes that I wouldn't find elsewhere, and those have been exceptional every time I've been there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotus125 Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 I've found at Rasika that ordering curries that sound similar to what you can get at other Indian restaurants resulted in getting fairly ordinary curries. Since then, I've only ordered the more interesting sounding dishes that I wouldn't find elsewhere, and those have been exceptional every time I've been there. Their appetizers and vegetable dishes are often outstanding too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Absolutely. I usually make a meal (with at least one friend) from a variety of things but we skip the entree category (though I do like the black cod). We always get palak chaat, lemon cashew rice, and one or two breads, and there are so many good veggie/side dishes and griddle dishes to choose from - I like the fish chutneywalla (sea bass/coconut/mint/cilantro), and we've had great cauliflower dishes, eggplant, and pea dishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ylkim30 Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 I've found at Rasika that ordering curries that sound similar to what you can get at other Indian restaurants resulted in getting fairly ordinary curries. Since then, I've only ordered the more interesting sounding dishes that I wouldn't find elsewhere, and those have been exceptional every time I've been there. Agreed. The biryani is pedestrian, but the palak chaat and black cod are outstanding. It's better to get their more "chef-y" dishes, and leave the classics for other places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandynva Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 surprisingly, i actually like a lot of their more standard dishes, including the okra, spinach, and the dal (at west end, i haven't had it at penn quarter yet). in my experience many of the standards are worth ordering, either because they put a nice twist on them or it's a really excellent version, like a great home cook, and i don't get that level of cooking often here. I normally don't order either dal ( i make this well at home, particularly if i allow myself to use the typical amount of cream or butter for the mahkani) or palak, (in my opinion it's not that flavorful and tastes of mostly spinach..). however, was with a friend who ordered the spinach, which i actually tried to dissuade her from doing. she didn't listen and i tasted it and loved it. it has fenugreek and hints of mint and for me those transform the dish. it's now my go-to, unless the butternut bharta is on the menu. and i love the okra because it's very like my mom's.unlike most places locally, they add amchur, sour mango powder, and it's great. (it always amuses me when people say rasika is doing fusion indian, as so many of the dishes are really traditional, just different than the standard punjabi food at most places). i went to westend recently and loved the dal dhungaree. i've never had that preparation before, and don't know what it's supposed to taste like, but this was like a really excellent mahkani. rich and creamy and comforting, but more highly flavored than the dish usually is. we also had the sweet potato samosa. on one hand we were dissapointed because the sweet potato was somehow not sweet and tasted like normal potatoes. and the spicing was utterly traditional--but again, a really good version. i'd happily get them again. nothing groundbreaking at all,, but at a level of tastiness you probably only get in like the top 15% of home cooked versions. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 it's now my go-to, unless the butternut bharta is on the menu. It's interesting you mentioned this dish. I had it and loved on my first visit to Rasika a number of years ago but I also haven't seen in on the menu in years. The last time I was at the Penn Quarter location (maybe a year and a half ago) I asked the server if it was available even though it wasn't listed and she looked at me puzzled. She wasn't even aware of the dish! And if my fuzzy memory is correct, she was an experienced server (as in, she didn't start the day before). Has anyone seen it on the menu recently? Maybe I'm just looking at the wrong time of year (although this is the time of year they should have it). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtureck Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 The key to enjoying Rasika for me is to order the most unfamiliar dishes I can. As others have said, the more mainstream a dish, the less impressive it is. Rasika rewards the adventurous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 The key to enjoying Rasika for me is to order the most unfamiliar dishes I can. As others have said, the more mainstream a dish, the less impressive it is. Rasika rewards the adventurous. I think there are a lot of restaurants where knowing what NOT to order, is just as important as knowing what to order. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 It's interesting you mentioned this dish. I had it and loved on my first visit to Rasika a number of years ago but I also haven't seen in on the menu in years. The last time I was at the Penn Quarter location (maybe a year and a half ago) I asked the server if it was available even though it wasn't listed and she looked at me puzzled. She wasn't even aware of the dish! And if my fuzzy memory is correct, she was an experienced server (as in, she didn't start the day before). Has anyone seen it on the menu recently? Maybe I'm just looking at the wrong time of year (although this is the time of year they should have it). I had the butternut bharta at some point in the last couple of years and it was wonderful. Whenever I see it on their menu, I get it, but it's only been on it sporadically, at least at the times I visit (Penn Quarter location, two or three times a year). I do love their dal and it tastes far more complex than dal I've had elsewhere. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Last time we were at the Penn Quarter location at the beginning of January, the Avocado Banana Chaat (Cumin / red chili powder / tamarind / date chutney), Red Snapper Reshad (Shrimps / peri-peri masala / masala bhaat) and Tawa Baingan (Eggplant / spiced potato / olive oil / peanut sauce) were all excellent. We also like the Dal Makhani, although it is comparable to other restaurants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 As a point of comparison, having just had dinner at Junoon, a 1 star Michelin in NYC, with 8 people, so we ordered a lot of dishes, Rasika was superior across the board. Not even close. In fact, on a couple of dishes Masala Art was vastly superior. And both DC restaurants are half the price. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdc Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 On 2/24/2016 at 0:07 PM, ktmoomau said: I think there are a lot of restaurants where knowing what NOT to order, is just as important as knowing what to order. There is a possibility that I end up going to Rasika with out-of-towners who LOVE Indian food and were persuaded by all of the high praise. I've never been, but looking through this thread, it seems there's varying opinions of what is can't miss and what is should miss, so I thought I'd take some current input if anyone has it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Palak chaat is a must-order. If there are 3 or 4 of you, you'll need two orders. I love the black cod as a fish dish (the most tender fish you could ever imagine), but I'm not sure if it's an "Indian" dish. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 On 9/3/2016 at 8:03 AM, Bart said: Palak chaat is a must-order. If there are 3 or 4 of you, you'll need two orders. I love the black cod as a fish dish (the most tender fish you could ever imagine), but I'm not sure if it's an "Indian" dish. Agree with these. The lemon cashew rice is very much worth it as a side dish, and the dal is particularly good. Other than that, I've had many wonderful things at Rasika in the last few years (including twice this year), but I wouldn't say any were more must-haves than others. I go with what ingredients I'm fond of. I very much like the fish chutneywala (they do a great job with fish), and the goat cheese kulcha (an unusual bread), the ragda patties, and the tawa bhangan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandynva Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 i don't normally like paneer, but i think the paneer shashlik is very good, and very flavorful (esp for paneer). i agree with the suggestion of lemon rice above-it's only $1 more than plain rice and well worth it. (i don't think the other rice, a pulao i think, is worth it). i like the toffee pudding dessert a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DonRocks Posted February 7, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 7, 2017 I’ve been to Rasika many times in my life, perhaps a dozen or so. Although the restaurant has gone from being “just another good restaurant” to “one of the toughest reservations in Washington, DC,” stylistically, it doesn’t seem like it has changed much at all, except for a small amplification in flavor intensity many years ago, when it was still close to its birth year of 2005. The one exception is that I had a fine meal at Rasika on my previous visit, which is mentioned on the restaurant’s web page itself: I wonder how many people remember that the talented Sebastian Zutant left Komi to become sommelier at Rasika when it first opened: Although award-winning Chef Vikram Sunderam has remained with Knightsbridge Restaurant Group throughout its lifetime, Rasika’s drinks program – which can easily account for half of the diner’s final bill – has changed over the years, and on my most recent visit, the services of Zutant have never been missed more, as Rasika batted 0-for-3 in the beverage department. Getting a prime-time table at Rasika now requires making a reservation several weeks in advance – unless you’re fortunate enough to find a cancellation – but even at an off-time, you’re not guaranteed to find a table, as I found out when I walked in recently. Hoping to sit in the dining room, my choices were either to wait a couple of hours, or snag the only remaining seat at the bar, so the bar it was. Wanting to unwind and begin my meal with a cocktail, I raised an eyebrow when I saw the Champagne Cocktail ($12) which is exactly what I was in the mood for. Unfortunately, the Champagne Cocktail at Rasika is made, not with Champagne, but with Prosecco, which is akin to advertising Kobe beef and selling Angus in its place. Still, I knew what I was getting into, as the menu clearly said the Prosecco was served with Ginger Syrup and Candied Ginger, and I knew the sweet ginger would mask any deficiencies in the Prosecco – I asked my *wonderful* bartender (and I’ll be referring to him again) if the drink was on the sweet or dry side, and he told me it was sweet, so I asked for a reduced dose of ginger syrup, and the cocktail he made me was in perfect balance – I’d suggest that, unless you’re in the mood for a sugary drink, you ask your server to go light on the ginger syrup. The only thing wrong with this cocktail was the name of it, which can be permanently fixed by the restaurant in a matter of seconds; until that happens, just be aware that you can buy entire bottles of Prosecco – at the retail level – for $12. I wanted a snack to have with my cocktail, so I also ordered a piece of Mint Paratha ($3), and it was of average quality, with good texture and cooking; the only ding was that it was a bit bland, but this isn’t supposed to be the center of attention. For my appetizer, I ordered a curious item: Dover Sole Chutneywala ($15) – curious, because it was the only Dover Sole they had on the menu, and it was extremely thin. Wrapped in a banana leaf, it was dressed in a mild curry (or, more accurately, chutney) of coconut, mint, and cilantro, and accompanied by a little Kachumber on the side. I don’t quite understand how Rasika is able to serve such a small portion of Dover Sole, because this is expensive fish and there must be some minimum amount that a restaurant has to order – but Knightsbridge Restaurant Group may order larger portions of Dover Sole for its eight restaurants (economies of scale and all that). This was somewhat skimpy, and the Kachumber was of average quality, but the dish as a whole was novel. I had finished my cocktail and wanted some wine before the appetizer, and having read the description of the dish, I went straight for a glass of Elena Walsh Gewürztraminer ($14), also something of a surprise because it was the only glass of Gewürztraminer on the list, and it was from Italy (Alto Adige to be exact) – it definitely piqued my curiosity. Unfortunately, the second I took my first whiff, I must have unintentionally scrunched up my face, and my bartender must have seen me, because he said, “Your appetizer will be right out, sir.” But that’s not why I scrunched up my face (and I didn’t know he was looking!); I knew from the very first smell that this wine had undergone malolactic fermentation – this is a secondary fermentation which turns malic acid (think: tart, green apples) into lactic acid (think: yogurt) – lactic acid is *not* something you want in your Gewürztraminer, and I was more than a little disappointed that out of all the Gewürztraminers in the world, this is the one Rasika selected to serve by the glass – it had a distinct bouquet of milky acids, and I was terribly disappointed. It wasn’t a “bad” wine, but the nature of the acidity was amoral – here, of all places, with their heralded “Modern Indian” cuisine, I wanted a white wine with a bit of grip to it, and I got a glass of flab – possibly a distributor close-out. It had been awhile since I’d been to Rasika, and I over-ordered on purpose, thinking I’d enjoy it for lunch tomorrow as well. I’ve been criticized before for ordering “too traditional” at Rasika, so I wanted to be sure not to do that this trip. For my main course, I got Ananas Gosht ($20) – Ananas means pineapple, and Gosht means lamb, and this came with lamb, cashew nuts, pineapple, mace, and cardamom. Thinking this would be a red wine course, I ordered a glass of 2013 Jean Yves Perraud “Domaine de Foretal” Julienas ($12), Julienas being one of the more floral villages in Beaujolais, and the wine being 100% Gamay. There was only one thing wrong with this wine, and it was a deal-breaker: My bartender pulled a bottle off the shelf, and poured my glass, and it was about 75 degrees in the restaurant – the wine was about 20 degrees too hot. (And people are angry because Rasika didn’t get a Michelin star?) Refer back to the fourth paragraph where I mentioned my wonderful bartender. He asked me how the wine was, and I said it was good, but would he mind putting the glass in the freezer for about ten minutes? He didn’t bat an eye – he immediately said, “There’s absolutely no need for that – I’ll just open another bottle,” and he opened the (temperature-controlled) bottle storage underneath the back of the bar, pulled out a brand new bottle, opened it, poured it, and … it made all the difference in the world. He went above the call of duty opening that bottle – I would have been perfectly content just having mine cooled down for ten minutes (by now, I’m so used to asking for this, that it no longer bothers me that people don’t know how to serve red wine). I thanked him heartily, and made sure to leave him a good tip at the end of the night – his name was Dwight, by the way, and I wouldn’t mention his name if he wasn’t excellent. As for the Ananas Gosht, I wish I could compliment it as much as I can compliment Dwight – aside from having a single, paper-thin pineapple slice on top of the dish, the pellets of lamb were tough and tasteless. Precisely one week after I went to Rasika, I went to Raaga, an Indian restaurant you’ve never heard of before, because it’s an unknown dive in Falls Church. There, I ordered a Chicken Kolhapuri ($14.95). I urge fans of Rasika to go to both restaurants, get one dish of each to go, and compare them side-by-side – the results will either delight or depress you, depending on what your motivations are, and it won’t be a close call. Darn it I wanted to like this lamb dish, but it wasn’t in the stars, so to speak. Well, of *course* I got three side dishes: a distressingly charred Eggplant Chili Garlic ($8) – the only inedible dish of the night because it wasn’t only burned, but it was scorching hot, and eggplant with skin-on retains heat for a long time; Zucchini Tamatar Kofta ($8), which was probably my favorite dish of the night, the zucchini dumplings made with mustard seeds and onion seeds, and an outsized portion of Cucumber Raita ($4), best-suited for a party of two, but I knew exactly what I was getting when I ordered it – it was slightly above-average Raita, but nothing memorable. The next day, for lunch, the Raita tamed the Eggplant – I was genuinely hungry again for lunch, and rather than choking down the eggplant when I was full, I was able to enjoy it the next day when I was hungry. In summary, a typical visit at Rasika for me – why people are outraged that Rasika didn’t get a Michelin star is beyond my comprehension – it isn’t even close to being a one-star restaurant. It’s a good Modern Indian venue that’s one of the best choices in Penn Quarter. I even have it ranked ahead of Masala Art and Woodlands in the Multiple Locations Dining Guide, although I’m not entirely convinced it should be ranked higher than Woodlands. I guess if you want some wine with your Indian cuisine, it’s one of the best Indian restaurants in the area, but this visit made me miss Passage To India and Indique, both of which I’ve neglected now for far too long. Ashok Bajaj is a brilliant restaurateur, and I hope he finally gets the recognition he deserves at the national level – taken as a whole, his set of restaurants is nothing short of spectacular. Nothing would be more fitting than if he won the James Beard Award this year for Outstanding Restaurateur in the United States. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr food Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 I like Bombay Club. I wasn't that impressed with Rasika a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatruneat Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 Went to dinner with my aunt and cousin for their second evening in DC last week. Ordered the palak chaat, makkai kofta, tandoori lamb chops, chicken tikka masala, garlic naan, and cucmber raita. Palak chaat was very good, but my aunt and cousin who eat Indian food regularly in California, did not think it was as revelatory as people here make it out to be. I ordered the makkai kofta to get a vegetable dish into the mix and while I liked it, my family thought it was just okay. After reading Don's review above, I wish I had ordered the eggplant chili garlic instead. Lamb chops were our favorite dish of the evening. Three meaty and well cooked chops. The chicken tikka masala was a request by my cousin and we all enjoyed the dish. However, it felt a little "safe" and I wish we had ordered something more adventurous. The garlic naan was great, we should have ordered more. Agree with Don that the raita was no better than a standard raita and none of the dishes we ordered were spicy enough to merit a dollop of raita. The meal was lovely and very good, but wish I had do-overs on the makkai kofta and chicken tikka masala. Guess I will have to order a bit more non-traditional the next time I am at Rasika. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 12 minutes ago, eatruneat said: The meal was lovely and very good, but wish I had do-overs on the makkai kofta and chicken tikka masala. Guess I will have to order a bit more non-traditional the next time I am at Rasika. I was fooled by this line, and went an extra time to try and be open-minded: Learn from my mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatruneat Posted August 17, 2017 Share Posted August 17, 2017 2 hours ago, DonRocks said: I was fooled by this line, and went an extra time to try and be open-minded: Learn from my mistakes. Evergreen comment. It has probably been about two years since my last visit to Rasika and it'll probably be another two years until my next one. Just a mental note for the next time I end up there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John William G Posted October 28, 2017 Share Posted October 28, 2017 My wife and I were downtown last week and decided to have lunch at Rasika. We had heard a lot about it, and since we both love Indian food, we were happy to give it a try. We arrived at the restaurant shortly after 11:30 and were able to get seated without a reservation. We tried the onion and sage bread, the Chicken Tikka Masala, Sweet Potato Roast (“red chili/caramelized onion/black pepper”), and Makkai Kofta (“sweet corn/cashew nut/garam masala”). All four dishes were very good, but the Makkai Kofta was easily our favorite. In addition to the food we were pleased with the service. The chairs were very comfortable, which is important for people our age. Only one visit, but I would still rate it a bit above the three Indian restaurants we most often visit in Northern Virginia: Raaga, Saravana Palace, and Woodlands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NolaCaine Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 On 8/17/2017 at 10:03 AM, eatruneat said: Evergreen comment. It has probably been about two years since my last visit to Rasika and it'll probably be another two years until my next one. Just a mental note for the next time I end up there. Dammit. I forgot Rasika has "jumped the shark." The staff members are very lovely people. That said, the house seems to be aging and not well cared for and the food tasted like the Indian stuff I get at the grocery and make for myself when I need a quick Indian fix. Why do people love this place? Bombay Club, OTOH, always delights me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 Perhaps when it first opened, we all just weren't used to eating so much Indian food and it seemed new, some of the best dishes we have now had, they aren't a surprise and we eat more Indian than we did before and are more open to a few more items on an Indian menu than we were before? The dining room was shiny new and pretty, it seemed exotic. But now it just isn't a surprise, the jewel box it first was? A thought. I haven't been in years, just reading the above, I kind of thought this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev29 Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 I'll offer kind of a reverse take -- when Rasika first opened I went a few times and found a lot of the dishes pretty average (my comp was above average neighborhood British Indian/Bengali). Fine but nothing extraordinary. The palak chaat was delightful though. Went with my parents about 6 months ago and dinner was wonderful. Fish and lamb curry dishes were rich, perfectly spiced. Service perfect. Palak chaat still delightful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NolaCaine Posted January 8, 2019 Share Posted January 8, 2019 I came back to...scale down my review because it was my experience today and last time I went (probably a year or two ago). Both times I had the same impression but others like it. Oddly, last two men I lunched with there both love and are both named Paul. Kev29; is your name Paul? (Kidding, I'm going to assume it's Kevin). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lion Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Palak Chaat is going into the list of things to make finally in 2019! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundae in the Park Posted January 9, 2019 Share Posted January 9, 2019 Hahahahaha Rasika got name-checked (or actually, probably a product placement, but that's kind of weird) on Season 2, Episode 1 of Designated Survivor!! Apparently it's where President Kiefer gets his takeout chicken korma? LOL, that doesn't even sound like something they would have on their menu (I checked, it's not there now). Note that the episode aired in late September 2017, which is possibly interesting or completely unrelated to the Michelin announcements in October 2017? What can I say, I've been bingeing on the show and now have conspiracy theories on the brain 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 I'm being taken here for dinner soon. What should I order? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtureck Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 2 hours ago, Simon said: I'm being taken here for dinner soon. What should I order? The Palak Chaat if you've never had it. Beyond that, order things you wouldn't find in your average Indian place. All the usual dishes are fine, but you'll leave wondering what the fuss is all about. Their seafood tends to be excellent, and I always really like their spicy lamb curries. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 43 minutes ago, jca76 said: while we agreed that the food is more interesting than rasika's and most of it quite good, the overall experience wasn't one that will have any of us rushing back. I was wondering if a comment like this would be made. At some point in the future - and it might not be Punjab Grill that does it - Rasika is going to be exposed for the fraud it has always been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtureck Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 18 minutes ago, DonRocks said: I was wondering if a comment like this would be made. At some point in the future - and it might not be Punjab Grill that does it - Rasika is going to be exposed for the fraud it has always been. That's what you got out of this review?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 7 minutes ago, mtureck said: That's what you got out of this review?!? That's what I got out of the fourth sentence of the first paragraph. As for the review itself, I gave it a trophy 🏆, highlighted it here, and then promoted it on Twitter and Facebook. How about you, champ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtureck Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 2 minutes ago, DonRocks said: That's what I got out of the fourth sentence of the first paragraph. As for the review itself, I gave it a trophy 🏆, highlighted it here, and then promoted it on Twitter and Facebook. How about you, champ? You think a meal that "wasn't one that will have any of us rushing back" will expose Rasika for the "fraud it has always been"...that seems a leap of logic that I can't quite connect. But to each his own. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 1 hour ago, mtureck said: that seems a leap of logic that I can't quite connect. But to each his own. Indeed. On 2/20/2019 at 6:51 PM, mtureck said: The Palak Chaat if you've never had it. BTW, the last time I got the Palak Chaat at Rasika West End, it was in the form of a salad. Here's our four-star, James Beard-winning, Indian restaurant in action: And the beer I ordered - Tikka Gold - was completely ruined with oatmeal-like sediment. When I asked for the sommelier, and pointed it out, he had the audacity to tell me that this is how the beer always is, and the flakes were the Golden Tikkas!!! ("Tikka" means "small pieces" - cf: Chicken Tikka). What a boatload of bullshit! And in case anyone thinks I might be wrong about this, I went to a lot of trouble to verify I wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtureck Posted March 15, 2019 Share Posted March 15, 2019 46 minutes ago, DonRocks said: Indeed. BTW, the last time I got the Palak Chaat at Rasika West End, it was in the form of a salad. Here's our four-star, James Beard-winning, Indian restaurant in action: And the beer I ordered - Tikka Gold - was completely ruined with oatmeal-like sediment. When I asked for the sommelier, and pointed it out, he had the audacity to tell me that this is how the beer always is, and the flakes were the Golden Tikkas!!! ("Tikka" means "small pieces" - cf: Chicken Tikka). What a boatload of bullshit! And in case anyone thinks I might be wrong about this, I went to a lot of trouble to verify I wasn't. What's palak chaat supposed to look like? It's always looked like that when I've gotten it, and it's always been delicious. As for the beer, yeah that would have pissed me off too, and quite possibly would have giving me a grudge against the restaurant for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 3 hours ago, mtureck said: What's palak chaat supposed to look like? It's always looked like that when I've gotten it, and it's always been delicious. If you want to give awards to raw, red onions, cold, soggy "fried" greens, and bad salad dressing, knock yourself out - I'm long past the point of caring about what the masses think. Want some more four-star photos? 3 hours ago, mtureck said: As for the beer, yeah that would have pissed me off too, and quite possibly would have giving me a grudge against the restaurant for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 On 2/20/2019 at 4:44 PM, Simon said: I'm being taken here for dinner soon. What should I order? Black Bass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 29 minutes ago, DonRocks said: I'd love to change the world, but I don't know what to do, so I'll leave it up to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Slater Posted March 16, 2019 Share Posted March 16, 2019 34 minutes ago, DonRocks said: If you want to give awards to raw, red onions, cold, soggy "fried" greens, and bad salad dressing, knock yourself out - I'm long past the point of caring about what the masses think. Want some more four-star photos? The vindaloos, daals, and curries at Bombay Club and Rasika come from a steam table. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandynva Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Is that always necessarily a bad thing? In my experience, many dals and “ curries”, especially the ones without large chunks of vegetable in them, are unaffected by sitting around for a while, if anything they may be slightly better, as many of those things are definitely better the second day than the first day as the longer the ingredients are together the more they marry . I think it’s one of the reasons Indian buffets are actually relatively good-a lot of the food doesn’t suffer from being held on the steam table. In addition, I would think a lot of the dishes would have to be made on the steam table in order to be served, because they simply take too long to make to be prepared individually per order. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 4 hours ago, sandynva said: Is that always necessarily a bad thing? In my experience, many dals and “ curries”, especially the ones without large chunks of vegetable in them, are unaffected by sitting around for a while, if anything they may be slightly better, as many of those things are definitely better the second day than the first day as the longer the ingredients are together the more they marry . I think it’s one of the reasons Indian buffets are actually relatively good-a lot of the food doesn’t suffer from being held on the steam table. In addition, I would think a lot of the dishes would have to be made on the steam table in order to be served, because they simply take too long to make to be prepared individually per order. All this is correct: Dals and curries are (or should be) long-cooked, so they're never cooked "to order" (and it doesn't really matter whether they're stored in a pan or a steam table) - ironically, I don't care for Rasika's dals or curries precisely because they lack a long-cooked depth of flavor. That said, I went to an Indian steam-table buffet a couple weeks ago that bordered on being disgusting - one reason is that the oil (or ghee, or whatever it was) had separated in the steam table pan - that stuff needs to be kept warm and occasionally stirred to prevent this. Woodlands is the king of area steam-table buffets - the selection is tremendous, the recipes use a light touch with oil, and since it's mostly vegan, the food holds really well. Damn, I'd love one of their Rava Masala Dosas right. this. minute. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranklinDubya Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Very recent review from Andy Hayler As a side note I'd recommend checking out Andy's recent reviews from the DC area - these should probably go into the individual restaurant threads so I won't give a synopsis of them all, but on a relevant note here he gave Rasika a better score than Kinship which certainly runs counter to popular opinion on this board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkS Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 We ate at Rasika West on Sat August 17 before a Kennedy Center Show. Despite options above we were extremely happy with solid food, great service. The meal was well paced and the dishes we ordered were great. We stayed mostly with fish dishes and were very pleased. They recognized our 34th anniversary with champagne and desert on the house, great. And by the way, Squeeze at the Kennedy Center, phenomenal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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