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Out of the Loop


Choirgirl21

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I feel so very out of the DC dining scene. I check in here to try to keep abreast of restaurants that are opening and others that are receiving a lot of praise, but for various reasons I haven't been eating out at DC's finer establishments at all! Well I'm ready and I need some suggestions. Nothing at the super high end like Restaurant Eve, but otherwise, no real constraints, except that DC is more convenient than VA.

Medium Rare is on my list, I also haven't been to Palena since all of the changes (I've also never done their multi-course meal), and Eola has been on my list for a while. Any other suggestions? And really, "new" is probably new within the last couple of years. For example, just remembered that I haven't been to Birch & Barley yet either. B)

Where else?

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I've been really impressed by Willow's bar menu, Kushi's sushi, Grapeseed's appetizers, 8407's sandwich and duck fries combo, and Pupatella's specials (their regular pizzas and paninis are also wonderful). They're all a quick metro ride from DC. Kushi's high end sushi is quite dear, but the rest are reasonably budget friendly.

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Freddy's for sure but stick to lobster rolls, lobster stew and anything clams (fried or steamers). I'm more mixed about Kushi and Medium Rare than some others but guess both worth trying. The former can be really variable on value and the latter can be inconsistent on quality and service at times. Petes Apizza has decent New Haven 'za. RedHook Lobster Truck. And, yes, MUST try the new Palena cafe. Big daylight between that and most everything else on this side of the river. have fun with the re-entry! B)

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Thanks everyone, appreciate all of the suggestions. I've actually been to Freddy's for lunch - I live and work in MD so manage to actually get to MD restaurants on occasion at least.

I ended up at 8407 Kitchen the other night, am hoping to post a review shortly. Will be checking out some of your suggestions soon hopefully.

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Haven't been eating out much so lots of places on my list:

Mintwood - sounds interesting, but parking in Adams Morgan is a pain

Green Pig Bistro - sounds really interesting, will visit soon

Elisir - wish Enzo would bring back the 12-15 course dinner that he prepared at Teatro Goldoni because 8 courses just isn't enough :D

Boqueria - not exactly a huge fan of tapas, menu seems on the small side

La Forechetta - gotta try the new pizza joint!

Alegria - love Mexican food and this is somewhat in our hood, but I have my doubts about Bazin and what works for the Vienna crowd.

Fishnet - I've never been to College Park but I'll try to stop by next time I'm tooling around the beltway.

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Mintwood - sounds interesting, but parking in Adams Morgan is a pain

We went to Mintwood with friends for the first time this past Sunday and we all loved it. Food and service were great. Prices were reasonable. As far as parking, agree that it's a real pain in that neighborhood. However, there is a tiny lot around the corner on Biltmore that has a 'valet.' We parked there for $10. And, of course, the Woodley Park metro is not that far of a walk.

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Haven't been eating out much so lots of places on my list:

Mintwood - sounds interesting, but parking in Adams Morgan is a pain

Green Pig Bistro - sounds really interesting, will visit soon

Elisir - wish Enzo would bring back the 12-15 course dinner that he prepared at Teatro Goldoni because 8 courses just isn't enough :D

Boqueria - not exactly a huge fan of tapas, menu seems on the small side

La Forechetta - gotta try the new pizza joint!

Alegria - love Mexican food and this is somewhat in our hood, but I have my doubts about Bazin and what works for the Vienna crowd.

Fishnet - I've never been to College Park but I'll try to stop by next time I'm tooling around the beltway.

Jesus, I haven't heard of a single place on this list except for Fishnet. At least I've eaten there. :P

What is Green Pig Bistro? Anything with pig in the name sounds promising to me. :)

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Reviving this thread to see what people are recommending these days. I'm meeting up with a friend from VA this weekend so we are thinking something in DC to meet in the middle. I still haven't been to Izakaya Seki so that's on my short list. Also haven't been to Red Hen yet. Other suggestions? Not looking to drop loads of cash, but otherwise no restrictions.

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It's hard to go wrong with Red Hen.  It's so popular, though, that without a reservation, you'll be waiting a long time -- and it's probably a little late to get one for this weekend.

The best and most popular new place in DC is Rose's Luxury on 8th St SE.  They don't take reservations, so if you want to avoid a very long wait, it's best to get there before they open and stand in line.

I highly recommend Table at 9th & N in Shaw.  We had a meal there in early December that was just fantastic.  They take reservations through City Eats.  Note: they don't do cocktails, only beer and wine.

Another place to consider is Iron Gate on N Street across the street from the Tabard Inn. This is the latest member of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group.  We had an incredible experience there in December.  The ambience is absolutely perfect for this polar winter we are having.  It can get pricey, but it doesn't have to if you do the bar menu -- really interesting drinks from Jeff Faile, formerly of Fiola.

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