Quiet, Healthy Sunday Dinner

[Genevieve]

Any tips on places that are not noisy and also have healthy and delicious food? Healthy could be defined as seafood available in non-fried/butter-sauced form, or Japanese or other light Asian, or organic (though Founding Farmers is organic but looks to have few lighter options on the menu), or just light in general.

I'm doing a dinner for a special birthday, and the guest of honor has hearing difficulties and particularly finds noisy restaurants to be a problem. Several members of the party prefer to eat lighter food.

This would be for a Sunday evening, but early (5:00, 5:30) dinner would be fine.

Thank you!!

[monavano]

Any tips on places that are not noisy and also have healthy and delicious food? Healthy could be defined as seafood available in non-fried/butter-sauced form, or Japanese or other light Asian, or organic (though Founding Farmers is organic but looks to have few lighter options on the menu), or just light in general.

I'm doing a dinner for a special birthday, and the guest of honor has hearing difficulties and particularly finds noisy restaurants to be a problem. Several members of the party prefer to eat lighter food.

This would be for a Sunday evening, but early (5:00, 5:30) dinner would be fine.

Thank you!!

My first thought was The Majestic's Nana's Sunday Dinner, but it's not *exactly* healthy (ribs...yum....the whole damn menu sounds like Americana comfort food!).

I'm glad I looked it up, as it appears that the Sunday dinners are now priced pp, vs dinner for 4. Great, great idea! I'm definitely going to make a reservation for a Sept. Sunday

[goodeats]

I've found Kaz Sushi to be a quiet little place, but am not sure where you are looking to dine? I also prefer Yuan Fu for healthy food (all buddhist vegetarian in Rockville)--it is usually really quiet there. Places that also come to mind are:

1. Hook, Georgetown. (Semi-quiet)

2. Nora, Dupont? (Not sure if delicious, as I haven't been there).

3. Pesce, Dupont.

4. Oval Room, Farragut Square.

[Genevieve]

I've found Kaz Sushi to be a quiet little place, but am not sure where you are looking to dine? I also prefer Yuan Fu for healthy food (all buddhist vegetarian in Rockville)--it is usually really quiet there. Places that also come to mind are:

1. Hook, Georgetown. (Semi-quiet)

2. Nora, Dupont? (Not sure if delicious, as I haven't been there).

3. Pesce, Dupont.

4. Oval Room, Farragut Square.

We're in Arlington, could easily do NoVa restaurants, and DC restaurants in places that have parking (can't walk from Metro right now). I thought of Hook but couldn't think of anywhere to park. Kaz Sushi might work, thank you.

Right now I have a reservation at Flying Fish in Alexandria but am prepared to cancel it and reserve somewhere else.

[DonRocks]

We're in Arlington, could easily do NoVa restaurants, and DC restaurants in places that have parking (can't walk from Metro right now). I thought of Hook but couldn't think of anywhere to park. Kaz Sushi might work, thank you.

Right now I have a reservation at Flying Fish in Alexandria but am prepared to cancel it and reserve somewhere else.

Sunflower at Seven Corners?

[goodeats]

If in Arlington, I am wondering if Eventide could do something healthy. Perhaps PM shaggy (calling shaggy!) to ask? I've only eaten the unhealthy food there in the lounge and have not been upstairs in the main dining room (but it has nice sound barriers, I think).

Other places that come to mind:

1. PassionFish in Reston (have not been there).

2. Tachibana in Mclean or Sushi Yoshi (I think?) that was recommended in Vienna.

3. Food Matters in Cameron Station, Alexandria (Call ahead to make sure Chef Tom is at the helm though).

ETA: 4. Sea Pearl in Merrifield?

Edited August 11, 2010 by goodeats

[goodeats]

Sunflower at Seven Corners?

Hesitate to recommend because the 7corners locale is so hit or miss. Sometimes clean, sometimes gloopy. And some people are turned of by macrobiotic options. But definitely there or the Vienna location for healthy. Delicious-well, that can be a crap shoot sometimes. But that was based on my last experience at least 6mos ago and I haven't been back to compare.

[Rovers2000]

What about BlackSalt? Fits the healthy and quiet bill and I've never had much of an issue parking right around there.

[Genevieve]

What about BlackSalt? Fits the healthy and quiet bill and I've never had much of an issue parking right around there.

Great minds . . . I was just coming here to post that I suddenly thought of BlackSalt and made a reservation! Thank you for confirming that it's quiet, which is what I thought I remembered - it's been a couple years since I've been. It's perfect because we want to be celebratory but I got a request not to be not overly fancy - BlackSalt is so delicious and creative and fresh, and it's elegant but not overwhelmingly fancy (since the guest of honor is low-keying the significant birthday).

Now I just have to figure out what the kiddo will eat there, since there's no fried calamari and I'm not sure he'll eat fried clams . . . but I'm sure we can get him one of the grilled fish entrees without the sauce. And I'm looking lovingly at the butterscotch pot de creme (wonder if I can get it w/o the scotched milkshake?) and the banana coconut cream pie with roasted pineapple. I'm sure even the healthy eaters will have a little of the desserts . . .

[zoramargolis]

Great minds . . . I was just coming here to post that I suddenly thought of BlackSalt and made a reservation! Thank you for confirming that it's quiet, which is what I thought I remembered - it's been a couple years since I've been. It's perfect because we want to be celebratory but I got a request not to be not overly fancy - BlackSalt is so delicious and creative and fresh, and it's elegant but not overwhelmingly fancy (since the guest of honor is low-keying the significant birthday).

Now I just have to figure out what the kiddo will eat there, since there's no fried calamari and I'm not sure he'll eat fried clams . . . but I'm sure we can get him one of the grilled fish entrees without the sauce. And I'm looking lovingly at the butterscotch pot de creme (wonder if I can get it w/o the scotched milkshake?) and the banana coconut cream pie with roasted pineapple. I'm sure even the healthy eaters will have a little of the desserts . . .

They sell squid in the market, and I know that fried calamari have been on the menu in the past. Blacksalt goes to great lengths, both in the market and the restaurant, to please customers, so if you call in advance, ask to speak to the chef and make a request, it's not a big deal to slice a couple of squid into rings and fry them up for your kid. they'll probably do it for you, especially if it is a "special" meal.

And don't skip dessert, whatever you do. I especially loved the butterscotch pot de creme, the last time I was there.

[Genevieve]

They sell squid in the market, and I know that fried calamari have been on the menu in the past. Blacksalt goes to great lengths, both in the market and the restaurant, to please customers, so if you call in advance, ask to speak to the chef and make a request, it's not a big deal to slice a couple of squid into rings and fry them up for your kid. they'll probably do it for you, especially if it is a "special" meal.

And don't skip dessert, whatever you do. I especially loved the butterscotch pot de creme, the last time I was there.

Thank you!!! I hadn't thought of that, but based on your suggestion I called and the person answering the phone said it shouldn't be a problem to do fried calamari even if it's not on the menu, and said it often is on the menu. so that's great! Thanks so much for suggesting it.

With the butterscotch pot de creme, is the "scotched milkshake" something that's poured on, or on the side? That dessert sounds amazing to me, but I need a non-alcoholic dessert (migraines triggered by alcohol) and would prefer not to make a big deal out of it when we're there.

[The Hersch]

I've found Kaz Sushi to be a quiet little place, but am not sure where you are looking to dine? I also prefer Yuan Fu for healthy food (all buddhist vegetarian in Rockville)--it is usually really quiet there. Places that also come to mind are:

1. Hook, Georgetown. (Semi-quiet)

2. Nora, Dupont? (Not sure if delicious, as I haven't been there).

3. Pesce, Dupont.

4. Oval Room, Farragut Square.

Of the six restaurants you suggest, only two, Hook and Yuan Fu, are open on Sundays.

[DanielK]

it shouldn't be a problem to do fried calamari even if it's not on the menu, and said it often is on the menu.

My experience with BlackSalt has been that if something is available in the front market, you can have them make it for you in the dining room, even if it's not on the menu. I've done this several times, and never even got a "let me ask the chef." It's always "sure, we can do that for you!"