Jacques Gastreaux Posted July 29, 2005 Share Posted July 29, 2005 'CrescentFresh said: For tapas? Jaleo. Hands down. Don't waste your time elsewhere. There are many restaurants that serve "small plates" as they say these days, but tapas is Spanish and for the best tapas in DC you go to Jaleo. Panache, on Desales Street (across the street from the North side of the Mayflower Hotel) is worth exploring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Has anyone ever actually eaten here? I have been to Panache for drinks and it definitely felt much more like a lounge and bar than a restaurant. When it turned up as a result on opentable.com, I decided to look at their site. Lo and behold, it has menus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnatharobed Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I'd say stick with the drinks there. Had some of their tapas. While they weren't bad there was nothing memorable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 (edited) Yeah, it didn't really tempt me. But I'm trying to find a new-to-me place to have dinner with a friend tomorrow. I need to meet her near Penang where she has a meeting. I'll have my car so geography isn't really an issue within reason. I'd really like to return to Notti Bianche, but friend has an Italian food aversion. Although the food doesn't scream "ITALY!!!" the name will have her asking me for alternatives, I bet. Edited November 7, 2005 by JLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Gastreaux Posted November 7, 2005 Author Share Posted November 7, 2005 I've been to panache for lunch several times, it's good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 I've been there a couple times for tapas, the fried calamari was nice, tender inside crispy, crunchy batter outside, little grease...the manchego cheese platter thing had rubbery cheese that was no better than a Kraft single. I think they have Stella on tap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 The daily specials are usually much better than the tapas menu. I've been very pleased with them the past few times I've been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 We had a very nice meal at Cafe Panache a few months ago, and out of the blue they just sent us a 20% off coupon, so we plan to go back in the next couple of weeks. It's not gazpacho season, but I suspect they will have something equally delicious. Interestingly enough, the restaurant set to open in the Wachovia Building on Pinnacle Drive near Tysons will be named Panache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Aurelius Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 Interestingly enough, the restaurant set to open in the Wachovia Building on Pinnacle Drive near Tysons will be named Panache. Probably not the same. Cool name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 The Panache in Tysons is closer to opening. It's in my office building so we have seen the various phases. Looks like interior construction (of the dining room anyway) is about 50% complete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 The Panache in Tysons is closer to opening. It's in my office building so we have seen the various phases. Looks like interior construction (of the dining room anyway) is about 50% complete. Looks like it is owned by the same people that own the Panache in DC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Went to the Tysons Panache for dinner. It's a beautiful space but the food was mediocre at best. The restaurant tries to do middle eastern, Spanish, French, and Italian, and pretty much failed at everything. We ordered 8 tapas - petit filet mignon, tortilla espanola, spanish octopus, rabbit milanese, seared scallops, lobster ravioli, linguine with white clam sauce, and cappellini pomodoro. Pasta is supposedly made fresh but the raviolis were way undercooked. Filet mignon was tough and overcooked. Tortilla not seasoned properly. The rabbit and scallops were bland. Things looked good on paper but the execution was bad. I'm not sure I would bother going back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted October 14, 2008 Share Posted October 14, 2008 Thanks for the reminder that I didn't post, Ericandblueboy. My happy hour at Panache was similarly disappointing. Given that I work in the building, we were all pretty excited to have any place to walk to for drinks (other than O'Malley's in the Holiday Inn/Crown Plaza which I personally think is gross). Other than some bizarre overhead light fixtures in the bar area, the space is very stylish compared to the rest of Tysons' social establishments. It reminded me a lot of Oya with the white leather. But the space is HUGE. Huge as in "this place would have to be terrific to fill it with people at any one time." There's the main dining area, a private dining room, a moderately big bar area and then another large space to the right of the bar. The servers pretty much threw free food at my group of about eight coworkers so we sampled everything from the bland risotto balls to the super salty guacamole on toast. The service was friendly, but pure comedy in terms of accuracy. When we [stupidly] decided to order a few other items from the menu, we received items we didn't order, and didn't receive items we did order. This place is doomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 This place is doomed. Correct. (But it's still open in South Dupont.) If you go to their website, panacherestaurant.com, it seems normal enough, but if you go to panachedc.com, you get some nasty-looking thing. Online ordering without corresponding delivery is of extremely limited value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Aug 29, 2016 - "Panache Closing after 12 Years on Wednesday - "Fresh Idea" Coming This Fall" on popville.com This article doesn't make it clear whether or not Panache changed ownership, yet former "Chef-Founder" of Fresh Idea, Raphael François, has departed for California, so I assume no - however, I cannot find where anyone has said this with certainty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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