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Fiola Mare, Washington Harbour, A 9,000 Square Foot Italian Seafood Concept by the Owners of Fiola


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NEW ITALIAN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT FIOLA MARE SIGNS 15 YEAR LEASE AT MRP REALTY PROPERTY WASHINGTON HARBOUR

Washington, D.C., February 26, 2013 "“ MRP Realty, a real estate operating company, today announced that Fiola Mare signed a 15 year lease for 9,000 square feet at 3050 K St., NW (Washington Harbour) in Washington, D.C.

The Class-A space will be will be an Italian seafood concept owned by restaurateur Fabio Trabocchi. Fiola Mare is expected to open by end of 2013.

"Fiola Mare will be exceptional complement to the restaurant tenant mix we have at Washington Harbour," said Bob Murphy, managing principal of MRP Realty. "Having recently completed a significant renovation project at Washington Harbour, Fiola Mare will add to the level of sophistication that we are bringing to our tenants, residents and the community."

Recent renovations at Washington Harbour include: extensive upgrades to the upper and lower level plazas with fully renovated fountains, specialized lighting and animated water jets during the warm weather and the addition of an approximately 12,000 square feet ice rink during the winter months.   Additionally, the retail storefronts have been substantially replaced on both plaza levels and a new 3,200 square feet state of the art fitness center has opened with onsite personal trainers and renovated lobbies, elevators and bathrooms.

John Asadoorian of Asadoorian Retail Solutions represented MRP Realty during the transaction.

MRP Realty acquired the Washington Harbour property two years ago.

About MRP Realty

Founded in 2005, MidAtlantic Realty Partners, LLC ("MRP Realty") is a real estate operating company focused on the Washington DC metropolitan area.  MRP provides a full array of real estate services including acquisition/disposition, development/construction management, property management and asset management services.  MRP Realty's senior leadership team has worked together in Washington, D.C. and its surrounding market area in various capacities for periods ranging from eight to 25 years and has wide ranging experience across a multitude of product types in both urban and suburban settings. MRP Realty's managing members have been involved in over 20 million square feet of investment with a total capitalization in excess of $4 billion in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

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There is great seafood in the Marche region of Italy...where Fabio is from. Two Michelin stars and on the beach: http://www.uliassi.it/eng/ristorante.php

Could this be a model? A Fiola of the Sea? There is even a cookbook about this (!): http://www.fabiotrabocchi.com/cookbook.html with dishes such as: Scorpion fish risotto, drunken tuna Marchigiana style, trout with black truffles and anchovy pesto and an incredible fish stew, Brodetto all'Anconetana, which acknowledges the Institute of Brodetto in Ancona. Fabio's version includes mullet, striped bass, tilapia, turbot. monkfish, cod, skate, cuttlefish, clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari. I should note that I have had his bouillibasse and it was the equal of the best I have ever had in Nice. I can imagine what his Brodetto all'Anconetana must taste like!

Several of the best meals we ever had were in the Marche region of Italy. We eagerly look forward to Fabio's introduction of this to D. C.

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There is great seafood in the Marche region of Italy...where Fabio is from. Two Michelin stars and on the beach: http://www.uliassi.it/eng/ristorante.php

Could this be a model? A Fiola of the Sea? There is even a cookbook about this (!): http://www.fabiotrabocchi.com/cookbook.html with dishes such as: Scorpion fish risotto, drunken tuna Marchigiana style, trout with black truffles and anchovy pesto and an incredible fish stew, Brodetto all'Anconetana, which acknowledges the Institute of Brodetto in Ancona. Fabio's version includes mullet, striped bass, tilapia, turbot. monkfish, cod, skate, cuttlefish, clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari. I should note that I have had his bouillibasse and it was the equal of the best I have ever had in Nice. I can imagine what his Brodetto all'Anconetana must taste like!

Several of the best meals we ever had were in the Marche region of Italy. We eagerly look forward to Fabio's introduction of this to D. C.

OK. Aside from Joe amping up my enthusiasm for Fiola Mare from it's already very high level, he also prompts a question. Everything I've read makes me think tilapia is a commoditized, mass-market, commercially farmed, lower quality and generally problematic fish that I avoid. Is that wrong? Is there a quality and culinary case to be made for this generally maligned fish?

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Well, Zagat's expected opening date (above post) didn't happen it seems.  On Jan. 21,  Tom Sietsema said:

Singhofen replaces John Melfi, who has been tapped to work with chef Fabio Trabocchi at Trabocchi's forthcoming seafood extravaganza, Fiola Mare, in Washington Harbour. Because the 7,500-square-foot project is being built from scratch -- a "soup to nuts" operation, Fabio Trabocchi calls it -- the owner says the restaurant is unlikely to open before spring. Reached at the site, co-owner Maria Trabocchi preached caution.

"I'm surrounded by a bunch of cables," she said with a laugh.

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with all due respect, $18-$24 for half dozen oysters just crazy. 

This may be one instance where a Trabocchi offering becomes less expensive going forward. I don't see how a 9,000-square-foot restaurant can support these prices; on the other hand, I don't see how so many thousands of people can afford million-dollar homes, so maybe I'm just living in another era. I wish everyone involved with this venture the best of luck - for me, personally, Fabio (the chef, not the friend) becomes less-and-less valuable with each new restaurant he opens (that is not meant as an insult - I would say the same thing about anyone, and in fact I *did* say the same thing about Ducasse when he opened Alain Ducasse - Paris, and also Veyrat when he opened La Ferme de Mon Père).

Since I became a Forum Host on eGullet over ten years ago, I have witnessed the world of restaurants devolve into a world of insanity.

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with all due respect, $18-$24 for half dozen oysters just crazy. And congrats on the opening!

I don't see how a 9,000-square-foot restaurant can support these prices

Same oyster pricing as Le Diplomate ($18.50 for a half dozen 'assorted', $24 for a half dozen Belon). It's expensive, but there's certainly precedent for a huge restaurant in DC supporting those prices.

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Same oyster pricing as Le Diplomate ($18.50 for a half dozen 'assorted', $24 for a half dozen Belon). It's expensive, but there's certainly precedent for a huge restaurant in DC supporting those prices.

Actually, I meant the menu as a whole (*); I wasn't even thinking about the oysters (although once oysters in this town cracked the $4 barrier, I called for the men in white jackets). The menu at Le Diplomate is nothing like the menu at Fiola Mare, in that there are escape hatches for those who aren't feeling flush.

Then again, Restaurant Eve is not small, and it has supported $16 appetizers and $36 entrees for many years now ... yet, this is higher still - I suspect check averages will be over $100.

Again, this is not a complaint; it's an observation. As my son would say, it took some "serious stones" to open with this menu.

(*) Fiola Mare Dinner Menu 2-22-14.pdf

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Here is the dinner menu.  It opened last night.  Someone must have gone:  this is one of D. C.'s biggest openings!

Based on a very small sampling of dishes, I'd say there's every reason to believe that Fiola Mare will live up to expectations.  The space is beautiful in an understated sort of way.  It might be the first restaurant to offer both outstanding food and a view.  I predict that within a few weeks the window seats will be the most coveted on the District dining scene; certainly when the weather warms up and they open those doors and pull the tables outside, they will be.  And Don, there are plenty of people who live within walking distance who won't balk at the pricing.

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Based on a very small sampling of dishes, I'd say there's every reason to believe that Fiola Mare will live up to expectations.  The space is beautiful in an understated sort of way.  It might be the first restaurant to offer outstanding food and a view.  I predict that within a few weeks the window seats will be the most coveted on the DC Dining scene; certainly when the weather warms up and they open those doors and pull the tables outside, it will be mobbed.  There are plenty of people who live within walking distance who won't balk at the pricing.

That's a very good point: anyone who can afford to walk there, can afford to dine there. I would caution that the A-Team was probably working last night.

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 I don't see how a 9,000-square-foot restaurant can support these prices;

That's just the nature of fresh seafood. If a restauranteur is truly concerned about serving only the freshest, most pristine seafood available, which Chef Trabocchi seems to be, his menu should should be on par with steakhouse prices. Actually, when you consider the waste incurred in a menu featuring nothing but seafood, it should be much higher than a steakhouse.*

*98% of steakhouses are ridiculously overpriced

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I finally tried Fiola Mare.  The short version is that although (as many have noted here) it is pricey and on the formal side, the food was extremely good.

The Frutti De Mare platted came with interesting dipping sauces and contained a nice assortment.  A crudo of bay scallops with black truffle was delicious and truffley.  Crudo of hamachi with lime, ginger, and seabeans was light, creative, and delicious.  Still good but not as great as the other starters was a peekytoe crab with roasted tomatoes and yuzu (great use of yuzu) and a burrata with pesto and a vegetable salad (certainly lovely but in need of a bit more salt).

We had various pastas (which are fortunately available in half portions).  The table consensus was that the best pasta was a smoked potato gnocchi with scallops, peas, and fava -- a mix of smoke and bright spring flavors.  I think the second best pasta (loosely defined) was a squid ink risotto with cod tripe (seriously), sea beans, and some other assorted seafood.  I would rank third (but still strong) a bucatini with prawns, sea urchin, and espellette.  The urchin was subtle but present in the sauce.  The prawns were large.  The chef's famous lobster ravioli with ginger led to divergent opinions.  Several of us (myself included) thought that it was good but felt like it needed another note.  One person loved it.  It was suggested that the dish would make a good appetizer but that after a few bites you want a new flavor.  

Dessert was a bit weaker but solid.  Baba al rhum was very good.  A lemon/coconut/yuzu tort was a bit flat.

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But once the buzz wears off, will diners still be willing to pay these prices? The weekend before this last, I dined with friends at the Oval Room, which is quite expensive, but not in quite the same stratosphere. I had an absolutely beautiful dinner, but the restaurant wasn't anywhere near half full during prime time on a Saturday night (which I thought was a shame). Was all of the well-heeled dining public over at Fiola Mare instead?

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I dined at Fiola Mare recently and found it to be perfect as a special occasion restaurant.  Prices are higher than what I would consider spending on a "regular" Saturday night, but in line with a high-end experience and well worth it.  One of my favorite dishes is smoked potato gnocchi with wild cod, spring peas and fava, dusted with lemon zest and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.The smoky flavor is intense and perhaps not for everyone but I loved it.  Adriatic Seafood Brodetto incorporates scallops, black cod, calamari, mussels, clams, prawns, and grey mullet.  It is painstakingly prepared and a sumptuously divine dish.  At $40, it isn't cheap but worthwhile. My full review is on my blog at Been There, Eaten That.

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Last night was our second visit in as many weeks. (Full disclosure: We have been fans and supporters of Fabio Trabocchi for about 10 years, since the early days of Maestro, and he does look out for us when we dine in his restaurants.)

The space is really lovely, with several different areas that have different designs, from the more formal upholstered banquettes in front of the open kitchen (separated from the dining room by a glass wall) to the wood tables and benches with tied-on cushions around the outer perimeter, which has sliding glass doors that can be opened in nice weather, and retractable shades on the glass ceiling.

Decorations are thematic and tasteful. The views of the river are quite lovely, even before the trees have bloomed or leafed out. Service is attentive and pleasant, and not intrusive. Diners' dress ranged from somewhat fancy to nice jeans. The noise level (very important to me) was around 72 db when we sat in the banquette section, which was full at the time I checked.

I won't argue about the pricing on the menu, and I expect it will fluctuate with the costs of the ingredients. Oysters seem pricey at 6 for $18, but I checked Clyde's and Old Ebbitt, and theirs are up to $16.95 for half a dozen.  On our two visits we saw many orders of oysters going out from the raw bar, as well as a large number of Frutti di Mare platters (someday we'll order that).

We have tried several of the crudo dishes, which seem to change every few days. All are pristinely fresh and nicely combined with bits of citrus and other vegetables. The crudo options are also more adventurous than I've seen around the area, including bay scallops on the half-shell, razor clams, and Chocolate clams.

We've had the crab salad with roasted tomatoes twice: once with Peekytoe crab and once with Dungeness crab. We can't wait for the local Blue crab season!

Brodetto is a lovely dish, with a broth that simmers for 3 days, and a broad variety of fish and shellfish, all individually cooked. Fish poached in olive oil with prosecco zabaglione and caviar seems to be a standard on the menu, but the fish and shellfish vary frequently. Under the Sea is another combination of seafood in a Parmesan dashi and a very smoky flavor. Chef has even taken pains to have good gluten-free pasta available, so I was able to enjoy the Red King prawns and sea urchins in a most delicious sauce.

We're not big on desserts. We tried some on our first visit, and skipped them on the second in favor of eating more seafood.

I see a bright future for Fiola Mare. Fabio seems very much in his element there. His attention to detail and freshness of his products will make many diners very happy.  The location, right on the river by the tour boat docks, is great, not just from the standpoint of the views, but of the opportunity for folks stopping in for a drink and some oysters at one of the two bars. On both of our visits the place was filled, and when they open up the patio dining, they'll accommodate even more diners. It is already becoming challenging to get a reservation on a Saturday night, and reviews are still to come. Prominent visitors like Steven Tyler a couple of weeks ago, as well as Valerie Jarrett and Michele Obama last Tuesday are helping to bring attention to this wonderful place.

I do have one complaint: The combination faucets and hand dryers in the restrooms are a real challenge. Thankfully, paper towels are provided as well.

Don, please add a "gluten free" keyword to this restaurant. [Done] The staff are well-educated on the issues of gluten, the gluten-free pasta is a nice touch, and most of the dishes on the menu are inherently gluten-free. I've not had any problems or mis-steps so far.

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What, I wonder, is "casually elegant attire"?  Jeans and shorts are out, what is in?  For example, my husband favors corduroy pants.  Would those pass muster?

I don't know what that means, either. I've seen a broad range of attire, from dressy to jeans. I think your husband will be just fine. Considering that some of their walk-ins probably come from folks disembarking the tour boats or waiting for them to load, they do allow for fairly casual attire.

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We had dinner at Fiola Mare tonight and thought it was outstanding, perhaps the most spectacular room in  D. C right now.  When we left at 9:45 it was also jammed with at least 200 or more in the restaurant.  We were told that the window tables get three turnovers on a weekend night and we believe it, based on how many we saw over the three hours we were there.

Several dishes have not been mentioned in this thread which are noteworthy.  Everybody in our group of four agreed that the single best dish was "Fiola Mare Oysters and Caviar" in a prosecco zabaglione.  Gragnano spaghetti is also a Great dish along with "Under the Sea" which I slightly preferred to the seafood brodetto.  Scallops, fresh head on shrimp-all of the seafood is exceptional.  (Even extraordinarily exceptional for the Washington area. Fiola Mare is in league with the best in Senigallia including Uliassi.) There is also an outstanding chocolate dessert called "Marchesi" which is a tribute to Gualtiero Marchesi who Fabio worked for in his three Michelin star restaurant in Italy.  The menu describes this as an "Amadei chocolate terrine."  It is a superb dessert.

We did not take notes nor photos.  This was a wonderful experience that we look forward to returning to.  Fiola Mare is both a special occasion restaurant and also, perhaps interestingly, a restaurant that many will go to and have several first and second courses (pastas and daily risotto are available in half portions) skipping the entree.

Maestro of the sea-on the Georgetown waterfront.

Thank you, Fabio.

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agree with JoeH's comments.  my favorite restaurant these days...whether it is lunch by the windows facing the waterfront or the bar.  One thing I would nit pick is the consistency of "al dente"-ness of their pasta.  I've experienced this time to time at fiola and again past weekend at fiola mare--it can be overdone past al dente.  I did note to the bar staff, and certainly not deal breaker at all because the appetizers, pasta dishes and whole fish are still amazing, and I love the folks running this operation for their dedication and hard work, but at this caliber and price point, I wonder if they need to just focus on consistency.  Fiola Mare feels like a staycaytion, especially at lunch with a champagne over looking the waterfront.

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I don't think Fiola Mare is a must go restaurant for anyone in DC under the age of 35 -- who don't even know what the Washington Harbor is (they probably think it's in Oxon Hill).

I am writing this from my heart.  Yes, I am old but I am extremely fortunate-I have been almost everywhere in North America and Europe-mostly because of business.  I am shocked at the reluctance of several to visit parts of the D. C. area.  Please, we are incredibly fortunate:  this is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  Oxon Hill was mentioned.  Five miles east is Fort Washington which very few Washingtonians have been to.  I'd make the argument that this is one of the most spectacular perspectives of any; there is a reason it was built to overlook the Potomac and the entrance to Washington.  Georgetown and the Georgetown waterfront:  today are special.  Sitting at Fiola Mare for over three hours and watching tourists from around the world outside our window line up for boat rides on the Potomac is a memory.  We live here.  It is just the other side of the Beltway.  For many of those in line for the boats it is a plane ride; for some almost a day (sometimes a night) in the air to get here.

And most will say we're worth it.

My wife has wanted to do a boat ride on the Potomac.  And I've resisted.  Never mind that I was born on North Capitol street, in Bloomingdale (which has only been called that for a decade or so), or that she was born in P. G. Hospital.  Boat rides on the Potomac are for tourists.  Not for anyone that lives here.  Certainly not for anyone who was born here.

But I was wrong.

The Potomac is beautiful at night.  As American television shows rave about Bellagio and Seville and Vienna-Italian, Spanish and Austrian television raves about Washington and nighttime boat rides on the Potomac.  I had a glass of wine one evening in the walled city, Soave, watching an Italian commentator talk about his "cruise" on the Potomac.  I didn't understand a word he said but i was proud-it was my hometown he was talking about.

Take advantage of living here:  we are special.  From the National Cathedral to the Library of Congress to the C & O Canal to, yes, Fort Washington.  Don't shortsell going to Georgetown.  Whether you are over or under 35.

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Went here recently. I echo a lot of the comments -- beautiful space, very good (but a bit stiff and formal) service, extremely expensive, great view. Glad there is valet but I think there is parking garage space nearby too (not sure)? It was a little bit noisy and a nice day. There was a loud group of guys near us, but they were funny, so it all worked out.

The food was really very good. I still think Palena (RIP) is (was) better, but that's just me. It will be a while before we head back here I think, mainly due to price.

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I admit, Fiola Mare is someplace I should be falling over myself to visit.  Two things are keeping me away:
 
1) It is, as the kids say, hella expensive.  We have a dining budget.  FM does not fit that budget.
2) It's in Georgetown.  I do not like trekking across the city to visit Georgetown.  Yes, it's a minor thing and kind of petty, but it's true.
 
I would be most interested in their raw bar options, not necessarily a full dinner.  Convince me that we need to get a sitter and go here on a beautiful spring day before the tourist apocalypse hits this summer.  Otherwise I'm OK getting my seafood fix down the street at Eat the Rich.

Never mind that I was born on North Capitol street, in Bloomingdale (which has only been called that for a decade or so)

Joe, I know you are a bit of an elder statesman here on DR, but I didn't know you were that old ;)Ahem.

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As I type this I wonder if they are going to put up the flood barriers which sit just outside of the window of Fiola Mare.  Five and a half inches of rain in 48 hours is a lot.

When we go back we will probably have two first courses one of which will be a Great dish, "Fiola Mare Oysters and Caviar" Zabaglione.  It's $24 and worth every penny.  We'll share a half dozen or so shellfish such as chocolate clams (18).  My wife will get a full order of lobster ravioli (36) and I'll get a full order of spaghetti gragnano (28-a Great dish).  We'll share the chocolate Marchesi (12) which is an ode to the three Michelin star Gualtiero marchesi that Fabio was at before London (before Maestro).  This is about $115 or so + wine, tax and tip.  Fuitti di Mare adds $55 and is probably a good reason alone for you to go:

Fiola Mare Dinner Menu 4-30-14.pdf

Economize on wine but not on anything I've mentioned.  $175-250 or so "all in" is well worth the trip even if it's only crosstown or from Reston.  Or from a walled town in Italy.  (I noted above...)

Addendum:  before there was a Sibley hospital on MacArthur there was a Sibley hospital on North Capitol street.  My parents also lived in River Terrace at the time.  Rosslyn had a selection of pawn shops and Georgetown was only a step or two above.

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As I type this I wonder if they are going to put up the flood barriers which sit just outside of the window of Fiola Mare.  Five and a half inches of rain in 48 hours is a lot.

Those barriers were put up yesterday, I believe.

TedE: Thanks for linking to that site. I just love this stuff. The Washingtoniana Room at the MLK Library is full of old maps of the city before street names and numbers became standardized. I worked on the committee that created the Adams Morgan Heritage Trail (and, my name is on every one of those signs--in case anybody cares to look).

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Those barriers were put up yesterday, I believe.

TedE: Thanks for linking to that site. I just love this stuff. The Washingtoniana Room at the MLK Library is full of old maps of the city before street names and numbers became standardized. I worked on the committee that created the Adams Morgan Heritage Trail (and, my name is on every one of those signs--in case anybody cares to look)

I wonder if people who live in these "new" neighborhoods such as Shaw, Blooomingdale and Barracks Row tend to stay in their own backyards as opposed to venturing out and experiencing other parts of D. C. and its area?

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1) It is, as the kids say, hella expensive.  We have a dining budget.  FM does not fit that budget.

2) It's in Georgetown.  I do not like trekking across the city to visit Georgetown.  Yes, it's a minor thing and kind of petty, but it's true.

I'll go further: I freaking HATE Georgetown, whether on foot or public transit. Whatever charm it had--or may still have--has long since been mitigated by the noxiousness of the human environment of entitled students, tourists, and need-to-be-seens who have no concept of two-way sidewalk traffic, politeness and civility, and shops that mirror the worst excesses of vulgar American consumerism. While I don't question Joe's paean to Fiola Mare and the glory of the waterfront, Georgetown triggers so much of my vitiriol that I do whatever I can to avoid it. And yes, I know many will find that petty, overwrought, too far-reaching, or absurd, and yes, I do know there are many lovely people and fine businesses there. But, irrational or not, it is a really hard area for some people to spend time in, period.

I wonder if people who live in these "new" neighborhoods such as Shaw, Blooomingdale and Barracks Row tend to stay in their own backyards as opposed to venturing out and experiencing other parts of D. C. and its area?

Really? You honestly think that other people are that parochial? Or just compared to you? If you have to ask that question, maybe you're the one who needs to get out more and meet the real people who live in these "new" neighborhoods.

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I'll go further: I freaking HATE Georgetown, whether on foot or public transit. Whatever charm it had--or may still have--has long since been mitigated by the noxiousness of the human environment of entitled students, tourists, and need-to-be-seens who have no concept of two-way sidewalk traffic, politeness and civility, and shops that mirror the worst excesses of vulgar American consumerism. While I don't question Joe's paean to Fiola Mare and the glory of the waterfront, Georgetown triggers so much of my vitiriol that I do whatever I can to avoid it. And yes, I know many will find that petty, overwrought, too far-reaching, or absurd, and yes, I do know there are many lovely people and fine businesses there. But, irrational or not, it is a really hard area for some people to spend time in, period.

Really? You honestly think that other people are that parochial? Or just compared to you? If you have to ask that question, maybe you're the one who needs to get out more and meet the real people who live in these "new" neighborhoods.

I've edited this several times.  I believe Lion's post below is very insightful.

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Really? You honestly think that other people are that parochial? Or just compared to you? If you have to ask that question, maybe you're the one who needs to get out more and meet the real people who live in these "new" neighborhoods.

Recently I was driving thru the city and some of the situation in Cleveland Park was rattling around in my mind crossing many of the local neighborhoods. I think those thoughts are probably better to discuss in another topic, but Joe's question is valid.

We are at the tail end of part of a generational shift that is occurring, I believe, that is finally becoming more pronounced in the side effects. My contemporaries (generation x) and younger generations prefer to live close to where they work and are eschewing automobiles. People are staying more within 20 minute commuting or driving distance if possible.

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I'll go further: I freaking HATE Georgetown, whether on foot or public transit. Whatever charm it had--or may still have--has long since been mitigated by the noxiousness of the human environment of entitled students, tourists, and need-to-be-seens who have no concept of two-way sidewalk traffic, politeness and civility, and shops that mirror the worst excesses of vulgar American consumerism. While I don't question Joe's paean to Fiola Mare and the glory of the waterfront, Georgetown triggers so much of my vitiriol that I do whatever I can to avoid it. And yes, I know many will find that petty, overwrought, too far-reaching, or absurd, and yes, I do know there are many lovely people and fine businesses there. But, irrational or not, it is a really hard area for some people to spend time in, period.

Really? You honestly think that other people are that parochial? Or just compared to you? If you have to ask that question, maybe you're the one who needs to get out more and meet the real people who live in these "new" neighborhoods.

Eww. Perhaps read your signature re: snippy? Was going to write more re: parochialism but just doesn't seem worth it.

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Snippy? Maybe so. But G'Town can be an extremely enervating place for many people or personality types. It's the part of town where I most frequently encounter the behaviors I hate the most and have been treated the most rudely. Some people may be able to be indifferent to this stuff or even thrive on it. But I can't, so I avoid it, and I don't apologize for describing HOW I experience it, even if that description is offensive or off-putting to some. I'm sure many feel the same way about Barracks Row, and other "new" neighborhoods.

Lion's point about generational shifts/differences may well be valid. As a low-income gay boomer who works from home and is carless, I don't recognize that behavior in myself, really, but I can't speak for other generations (though I don't grant very high credence to broad generational generalizations). But I don't think it has to do that much with a reluctance to venture out or encounter new areas. For some, there are real financial issues, but for more I think it has to do with forming community and putting down roots. Sure, that can devolve into isolation and parochialism, but I think for most it's about creating a sense of home for themselves. I don't know why that should be something we need to bemoan.

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[FWIW, I just read through this afternoon's entire conversation for the first time, and don't see anything at all to moderate or delete. Was Tujague's post snippy? Eh, maybe a little bit, but nobody lost an eye over it. Keep on respecting (or at least trying to understand) each other's opinions, and we're all good. Cheers, Rocks]

I also completely agree about the generational shift which has affected not just "neighborhoods," but also dining attitudes and habits as a whole. As to whether that's "better," "worse," or just "different," that's for each individual to decide. I'm also certain that I've witnessed remarkably rapid changes in DC's dining scene during the six years since the recession began (at the end of 2007). I can't think of any other six-year time slice in my lifetime that has displayed such dramatic change. I'm not old enough to remember the riots et al, but I suspect "not since WWII ended" is a phrase that applies somewhere, somehow.

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I would be most interested in their raw bar options, not necessarily a full dinner.  Convince me that we need to get a sitter and go here on a beautiful spring day before the tourist apocalypse hits this summer.  Otherwise I'm OK getting my seafood fix down the street at Eat the Rich.

The raw seafood platter we had for starters 2 weeks ago for dinner was sensational. Plenty of oysters, mussels, clams, shrimp, half a lobster, generously portioned and perfectly presented. You could order that at the beautiful bar at the front of the restaurant.

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Snippy? Maybe so. But G'Town can be an extremely enervating place for many people or personality types. It's the part of town where I most frequently encounter the behaviors I hate the most and have been treated the most rudely. Some people may be able to be indifferent to this stuff or even thrive on it. But I can't, so I avoid it, and I don't apologize for describing HOW I experience it, even if that description is offensive or off-putting to some. I'm sure many feel the same way about Barracks Row, and other "new" neighborhoods.

Lion's point about generational shifts/differences may well be valid. As a low-income gay boomer who works from home and is carless, I don't recognize that behavior in myself, really, but I can't speak for other generations (though I don't grant very high credence to broad generational generalizations). But I don't think it has to do that much with a reluctance to venture out or encounter new areas. For some, there are real financial issues, but for more I think it has to do with forming community and putting down roots. Sure, that can devolve into isolation and parochialism, but I think for most it's about creating a sense of home for themselves. I don't know why that should be something we need to bemoan.

Tujague, while we may disagree on the Washington harbor, I really enjoy your expressive writing. You have a great deal of talent and are a real pleasure to read.

The raw seafood platter we had for starters 2 weeks ago for dinner was sensational. Plenty of oysters, mussels, clams, shrimp, half a lobster, generously portioned and perfectly presented. You could order that at the beautiful bar at the front of the restaurant.

"Fruitti di Mare" is $55 for 1-3 and worth every penny. From the menu: East & West Coast Oysters / Middleneck Clams / Jordan River Mussels / Maine Lobster/Head-On Prawns / Tuna Tartare / Jumbo Lump Crab / Jellyfish Salad

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Tujague, while we may disagree on the Washington harbor, I really enjoy your expressive writing.  You have a great deal of talent and are a real pleasure to read.  

Joe, I can say the same for you--your writing makes me want to eat at so many places, so even if I can't afford them, I can enjoy them vicariously through you. (And, BTW, I have more problem with the M St. strip than the Washington Harbor, which as you show, is more of a haven from the rest of what makes me crazy.)

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